Themes Expressed in the Rhetoric of Two Women's Rights Movements

Home , Lucy Stone, Mary Putnam Jacobi, Wilma Scott Heide

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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

1974

Ann Holt Logan

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THEMES EXPRESSED IN THE RHETORIC OF

'NO WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENTS

This thesis is approved as a creditable and independent investigation by a candidate for the degree, Master of Arts, and is acceptable for meeting the thesis requirements for this degree. Acceptance of this thesis. does not imply that the conclusions reached by the candidate are necessarily the conclusions of the major department.

Thesis.A¥sor ate

---ltead, Speechtl5epartment (}'· �te7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Sincere gratitude and thanks are extended to my advisor,

Dr. Wayne E. Hoogestraat, for his guidance, understanding and patience during the course of this study.

I also wish to extend my thanks to the personnel at the Lincoln Memorial Library at South Dakota State University, the

Mikkelsen Library at Augustana College, and the Sioux Falls Public

Library for their help in the location of material vital to my study.

Many friends have been especially helpful to me during this study and I particularly wish to thank Dr. Lois Widvey, Ila Asmus, and Carol and Joel Hefling.

Finally, I wish to thank my husband, Dale, and my parents,

Mr. and Mrs . Robert Holt, for their love, confidence, and occasional prodding throughout my graduate study.

AHL TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I • INTRODUCTION ...... • • • • • 1

Origin and Statement of the Problem • • • • • • • 1 Justification for this Study • • • • • • • • • 2 Procedures Followed • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 Definitions • • • • ••••••••• . . . . 7 Abbreviations • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . 8 Scope and Limitations • • • • • ••••• 8

Footnotes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 10

II. EVENTS AND INFLUENCES eURROUNDING THE WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE I•IOVE11ENT Alm THE WONEN"S LIBERATION MOVEMENT 11

Introduction • • • • • • • • • • • • 11

The Suffrage Movement • • • • • • • • • 11 F'urt11e..c Ii:1pe-tus of tlie !·Iovement • • • 13 Movement Toward Suffrage • • • 17 The Suffrage Amendment • • • • • • • 19 Principal Women Contributors • • • • • • 22 Lucretia Mott • • • • • • • • • • • • • 22 Elizabeth Cady Stanton • • • 23 Susan B. Anthony • • • • • • • • 25 Lucy Stone Blackwell • • • • • • • 27 Carrie Chapman Catt • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 29 Mary Putnam Jacobi • • • • • • • • • • • • • 30 Jeannette Rankin, M.C. • •• • • • • • 31 The Liberation Movement • • • • • • • • • • • • • Jl Nat ional Organ ization for Women • • • • • • • . . 33 Equal Rights Amendment · • • • • • • . . 35 Other Liberat ion Causes • • • • • • • • . . • • 37 Abortion • • • • • • • • • • • • • 37 Principal Women Contributors • • • • • • • • • 38 Betty Friedan • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 38 Gloria Steinem • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 39 Caroline Bird • • • • • • • • • • • • • . . 40 Arvonne Fraser • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • 40 Louise Bushnell • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 40 Katie Loucheim • • • • • • ••• • • 41 Dr. Lillian O'Connor •••••••••• • • • • 41 Other Contributors • • • • • • • . . . 42

. . • • • • • • Summary • • • • • • • • . • • 42 Footnotes • • • • • • • ...... 44 III. THEMES AND RECURRENCE OF THEMES WITHIN AND BETWEEN THE RHETORIC OF THE WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT AND THE WOMEN'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 51

Introduction • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 51 Woman• s Suffrage Speeches • • • • • • • • • • • • • 51 Elizabeth Cady Stanton • • • • • • • • • • • • • 51 Susan Brownell Anthony. • • • • • • • • • • • • 52 Mary Putnam Jaco bi • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5J • Carrie Chapman Catt • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 54 Jeannette Rankin • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 55 Women's Liberation Speeches ••••••••••••• 55 Mrs. Katie Loucheiin • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 55 · Dr. Lillian 0 'Connor • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .56 Caroline Bird • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 57 Louise Bushnell • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 58 Arvonne S. Fraser • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 59 Wilma Scott Heide • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • 60 Bernice Sandler • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 61 Dr. Jacqueline St. John • • • • • • • • • · • • • • 62 Wilma Scott Heide • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 6J Theme Recurrence . . . � ...... 64 Suffrage 'E'1emes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 64 Liberation Themes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 66 Recurrence of Specific Themes • • • • • • • • 71 Categorical Analysis of Themes • • • • • • • • ?2 Recurrence of Categories Between the Two Movements • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 80 Footnotes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 81

IV. SUM!t"!ARY AND CONCLUSIONS . . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 86

Summary • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 86 Chronological Summary of Events • • • • • • • • • • 86 The Suffrage i1ovement • • • • • • • • • • • • • 86 The Liberation Movement • • • • • • • • • • • • • 88 Summary of the Participants • • • • • • • • • • • • 89 The Suffrage Hovement • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 89 The Liberation Movement • • • • • • • • • • • • • 89 Summary of the Rhetorical Themes • • • • • • • • • 90 Conclusions • • • • • � • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 90

• • • • • • • • • • • • BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • • • • • • • • 92

� CHAPrER I

INTRODUCTION

Origin and Statement of the Problem

Throughout American history, the question of women's rights

initiated a substantial body of rhetoric. It appears that an

1de�t1fication of the specific themes involved in this body of

-discourse would be valuable to rhetorical scholars. The two most - prominent women's�rights movements seem to be the woman's suffrage

movement from 1848 to 1920 and the current women's liberation

movement. The recurrence of organized movements on the �ubjec t of

·women's equal rights raises the question whether the themes

expressed in the rhetoric of each movement are similar. Therefore,

the purpose in this inv�stigation was to discover the extent to

which speaking on behalf of women's rights by women utilized

recurring themes.

In order to determine the recurrence of themes, answers to

the following questions were soughti (1) What events and influences

surrounded the development of the woman's suffrage movement? (2 )

What events and influences surrounded the development of the

women's liberation movement? (J) What themes were present in

selected women's rights speeches from 1848 to 1920? (4) What

themes were present in selected women's rights speeches from

October 15, 1963, through October 1, 1973? (5) How frequently did 2

themes recur within the rhetoric of.each period? (6) To what extent did the t�emes recur from the former period to the latter period?

Justification for this Study

Although the preceding questions are not the only ones · which apply to the rhetoric of the two women's rights movements , they do provide for the identification and recording of observations which might be of value to prospective scholars in communication .

The investigation into the �ecurrence of themes will also indicate whether the two movements being considered in this study are two individually unique movements.

Finally , it is hoped that a value to historians will be found in this study since the women's rights movement will be likely to have a lasting political , social , and economic impact on the

United States .

Procedures Followed

In completing this study , the following steps were takena

A. Appropriate publications , listed below , were surveyed to determine if any previous inquiries had been made· relating to the subject under consideration:

Auer , J. Jeffery , "Doctoral Dissertations in Speecha Work in Progress ," Speech Monographs, annual issues , 1951-1969.

Dow , Clyde W., •'Abstracts of Theses in the Field of Speech ," Speech i'fonographs , annual issues, 1935-1969. 3

Index to American Doctoral Dissertations, Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan, 1968-1973.

Knower, Franklin H., "An Index to Graduate Work in Speech," Speech Monographs, annual index, 19.35-1969.

Nelson, Max, "Abstracts of Dissertations in the Field of Speech," Speech Honographs, annual issues, 1966-1969.

Shearer, Ned A., "Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations in the Field of Speech Communication," Bibliographic Annual in Speech Communication, annual issues, 1970-1972.

Shearer, Ned A., "An Index to Graduate Research in Speech Communication," Bibliographic Annual in Speech Communication, annual issues, 1970-1972.

A survey of the literature mentioned previously yielded two studies which needed further examination to ensure the originality of the current research. The first study, "A Historical

Survey of the Rhetorical Proofs used by the Women Speakers of the 1 Suffrage Organizations: 1869-1919" by Ronald George Coleman,. was initially discovered in "An Index to Graduate Work in Speech,"

Franklin H. Knower; Speech Monographs, August, 1969. With further investigation, an abstract of the study was discovered in the

Index To American Doctoral Dissertations, June, 1969. rrhe examination of this abstract revealed that Coleman's study was not of the same nature as that proposed in this study • . Cole�an's study dealt specifically with the rhetorical proofs or the utili�ation of evidence to support the ideas expressed and not the identi fication of specific themes.

The second study, "Persuasion on the Plains s The Women's 2 Rights Movement in Nebraska" by Dennis Fus, was initially discovered in the 1970 Bibliographic Annual in Speech Communication. No 4

further reference was found in any of the literature surveyed; so

it is· presumed that the investigation begun by Fus has not completed

as o� ·this time. However, the limitation in the title of Fus's

study indicates that it is not applicable to the study under

consideration.

B. A chronological account of events and influences

surrounding the emergence of the woman's suffrage movement was

developed from information in established American histories and other available accounts.

C. A chronological account of events and influences

surrounding the emergence of the women's liberation movement was

developed from information obtained. in contemporary prin�ed accounts, such as newspapers, news magazines, and other current

incidental printed items.

Letters were sent to Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and

Robin Mo rgan in an attempt_ to secure information or sources of information pertaining to the development of the women's liberation

movement and also to obtain help in locating available full texts of speeches they have given on women's equal rights. Of the letters sent to these three women, only one answer was received; and that was from Gloria Steinem. Ms. Steinem provided a list of suggested sources for information and copies of several �f her speeches which also helped to provide a historical perspective for the women's liberation movement. 5

D. Women's speeches representative of the woman's

suffrage movement in America from 1848 to 1920 were selected from

the Speech Index. J A list of five speeches indexed under "Womens

Suffrage" and given by women was compiled. The following is a

list of the speeches that were studied&

Susan B. Anthony, "For the Woman Suffrage Amendment," U.S. Congress, Senate, Susan B. Anthony speaking for the Amendment on Woman's Suffrage, 49th Cong., 2nd sess., January 25, 1887 , Congressional Record, pp. 998-1002.

Carrie Chapman Catt, "The World Movement For Woman's Suffrage," in Famous Speeches by Eminent American Statesmen, edited by Freder ick C. Hicks, (st. Paula St. Paul West Publishing Company, 1927), pp. 368-383.

Mary Putnam Jacobi, "Woman's Suffrage," in Werner ' s Read.ing.5 ar!d Reci-t.:?.ticr:�, V�l. ·421 Fam01.1s_ Mod�rn Orations \ New Yorks J. F'. W agner , 1915), pp. 17-20.

Jeannette Rankin, "Woman's Suffrage and War," in World's Best Orations, edited by David Josiah Brewer, (Chicago: F. P. Kaiser Publishing Company, 1900), pp. 37-39.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, "First Woman's Rights Convention," in Great S eeches from Pericles to Kenne edited by William D. Boutwell, New Yorks Scholastic Book Service , 1965), pp. 140-14J.

E. Women's speeches representative of the women's liberation movement were selected from Vital Speeches, October

15, _1963, through October 1, 1973. A list of nine speeches indexed under either "Womens Equal Rights" or "Womens

Liberation Movement" and given by women was compiled. The following is a list of the speeches that were studied& 6

Caroline Bird, "On Being Born Female: Integration," Vital Speeches, November 1.5, 1968, pp . 88-91.

Louise Bushnell , "What 's Happened to Eve L. Bushnell ," Vital Spee ches , October 1, 1970, pp . 749-7.52.

Arvonne s. Fraser, "Women: The New Imag e," Vital Speeches , July 15, 1971, pp . 599-60.5.

Wi lma Scott Heide, "Revolution: Tomorr0w Is Now," Vital Spe eches , May 1, 1973, pp . 424-428.

Wilma Scott Heide, "Feminism: The Sine Qua Non for a Just Society," Vital Sp eeches , April 1.5, 1972, pp . 40)-409.

Katie Loucheim, "Citizen in a Changing World," Vital Spe eches, November �.5, 196), pp . 93-96.

Dr. Lillian O'Connor, "For a Better World Tomorrow: Women of Today ," Vital Sp eeches , January 1.5, 1968, pp. 214-217.

Bernice Sandl er , "Women in Higher Education: What Constitutes Equality," Vita l Speeches, June 1.5, 1972, pp. 5J2-.5J7.

Dr. Jacqueline St. John, "Women•s Legislative Issues: Today and Tomorrow," . Vital Speeches, June 15, 1972, pp • .528-532.

F. The selected speeches from the woman 's suffrag e movement

were studi ed to determine what them es were present .

G. The sp ecific themes discovered in the woman's su:ffrage movement sp eeches were compared to determine if any themes

recurr ed.

H. The selected sp eeches from the women's li beration movem ent were studied to determine wha t them es were present.

I. The themes discov er ed in the women 's liberation movement wer e analyzed to determine if any recurred within the rhetoric of the movement. 7

J. The lists of themes compiled from each movement were compared to discover if any themes from the first movement were utilized in the rhetoric of the later movement and to what extent they recurred.

K. The themes compiled from each movement were categorized according to the ideas they expressed to determine if any ideas were of a similar nature.

L. Conclusions were drawn concerning the nature of the themes in the two movements, the recurrence of themes within each of the movements, and the extent to which the later movement utilizes themes that appeared in the earlier movement.

Definitions

For the purpose of this study, a theme was defined in the following manner, as described in Speech Criticism by Lester

Thonssen, A. Craig Baird, and Waldo W. Braden, and refined by

Katherine L. Kodis&

(1) An assertive theme is defined as an original sta.temen that embodies a rhetorician's over-all idea and aim. 4 This theme is the position toward which all subsequent arguments and forms of support are directed. (2 ) Refutational themes have been defined as �eing similar to assertive themes except that they arise from or are motivated by previous statements and are there fore attacks on opposing p0sitions or defenses of previously expressed positions.5 A theme was further classified as being subordinate only to a thesis and coordinate only to another theme. 8

Abbreviations

Four abbreviations have been used in this study to provide

for ease in reading.

(1) The National Woman Suffrage Association is referred

to as the !ISA.

(2) The American Woman Suffrage Association is referred

to as t.he AWSA.

(J) The National American Woman Suffrage Association is

referred. to as the NAWSA.

(4) The National Orgcinization for Wo�en is referred to

as NOW.

Scope and Limitations

Since this study was limited to selected representative

speeches from each movement, the conclusions which were drawn are not necessarily applicable to all speeches from each period. Because the women's liberation movement is still in progress,

speeches from only a portion of that movement (October 15, 1963, through October 1, 1973) have been analyzed; later speeches and

events have been excluded from this study•

. Furthermore, edited and reported accounts of the rhetoric of the two movements have been used as research resources; therefore,

this study is not of the full rhetorical sequence.

Nevertheless, any conclusions which were drawn from careful research should be 0£ value in that they help record and preserve information concerning the events under investigation. Also, the 9

study should contribute to the body of rhetorical literature on · the rec�ence and originality of themes expressed. FOOTNOTES

�onald George Coleman, "A Historical Survey of the Rhetorical Proofs Used by the Women Speakers of the Suffrage Organizations: ]869-1919," cited by Franklin H. Knower, 0An Index to Graduate Work in Speech," Speech Monographs, August,. 1969, p. 333.

2Dennis Fus, "Persuasion on the Plains: The Women's Rights Movement in Nebraska," cited by Ned A. Shearer, "Doctoral Dissertations in Progress," Bibliographic Annual in Speech Communica tion, 1971, p. 5 .

3Robert Briggs Sutton, Speech Index (New Yorks. Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1966), pp. 871-872. ·

4Lester Thonssen, A. Craig Baird, and Waldo W. Braden,· Speech Criticism (2nd ed.; New York: Ronald Press Company, 1970), p. 471.

c: .:>Katherine L. Kodis, "The Rhetoric of the Engineering School Controversy in South Dakota from February 11, 1971, through March 19, 1971" (unpublished M.A. thesis, South Dakota State University, 1973), p. 5 . CHAPI'ER II

EVENTS AND INFLUENCES SURROUNDING THE WO�N'S

SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT AND THE WOMEN'S

LIBERATION MOVEMENT

Introduction

The intent in this chapter is to give a chronological account of the events and influences leading to and surrounding the woman's suffrage movement and the women's liberation movement.

The attempt is to recreate the historical situation and influences of each movement so that themes discovered might be placed in situational and historical perspective.

The Suffrage Movement

A convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848, according to Eleanor Flexner in Century of Struggle, is regarded as the birth of the women's rights movement, although the process actually . began nearly half a century earlier. 1 The Seneca Falls convention was the eventual outcome of the 1840 World Anti-Slavery: Convention in London. At this earlier convention, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton first discussed the lack of a women's voice in government because of their denied vote and suggested the possible calling of a public meeting to discuss and protest the denial of 2 the franchise for women. The opportunity for such a meeting to 12

be called was not realized until the Motts (Lucretia Mott and her husband, James) visited Waterloo, New York, near Mrs. Stanton's home in Seneca Falls. Also at this ga.thering was the Mott• s hostess, Jane Hunt, Martha Wright (Mrs. Mott's sister), and Mary

Ann McClintock. These five women decided to call a convention, wrote an announcement for the meeting to appear in the July 14

Seneca County Courier, and drafted the Declaration of Principles, a statement of their sentiment, that they fashioned after the

Declaration of Independence.3 The convention was "the first of those convocations that eventually played a key role in the struggle for woman suffrage." Such people as Lucretia Mott e.nd lt"rederick Douglass addressed the group. The convention ended with the adoption of the Declaration of Principles. A resolution calling for woman suffrage was also passed by a narrow margin at the meeting.4

Little interest in.securing the vote was shown in the early women's rights movement. The more common concerns to the early advocates, as stated in Century of Struggle, includeda

"Control of property, of earnings, guardianship, divorce, oppor tunity for education and employment, lack of legal status, and the concept of female inferiority perpetuated by the established religion."5 These concerns were thrashed out during a series of conventions. National women's rights conventions were held yearly from 1850 to 1860, except for the year 1857. Small and 13

large towns in Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and . 6 ¥&a.ssachusetts also held gatherings to discuss pertinent issues.

A loose steering committee known only as the "Central

Committee" emerged during the 18.50's. Little was accomplished

under the direction of this committee.7 More concrete advancement

of the women's rights movement was made when suffragists began

utilizing tactics exemplified by the anti-slavery forces. Petitions

were sent to state legislatures asking for specific measures.

The most outstanding accomplishments were made in New York where

Susan B. Anthony led the group. Thousands of signatures were

collected from the· large cities and every county in the state,

urging hearings before the legislative body. These early achieve-

ments were conducted under the direction of four women, Lucy

Stone, Lucretia Mott, ffirs. Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony. Each

of these women played a particular role in the early movement, as

is related by Eleanor Flexner in Century of Struggle: "If Lucretia

Mott typified the moral force of the movement, if Lucy Stone was

it's most gifted orator and Mrs. Stanton its outstanding philoso-

pher, Susan Anthony was its incomparable organizer, who gave it 8 force and direction for half a century. "

Further Impetus of the Novement

The Civil War brought the movement for women's rights to 9 a temporary standstill. David Muzzey in his book, The United

- DA KOTA STATE �UTH UNIVERSITY 294411 LIBRA"R:l 14

States of America, points out that prior to the Civil War the specific movement for woman suffrage had not come to the fore- ground; but when the emancipation of the slaves initiated the question of enlarging the electorate, the women leaders viewed 10 this moment as one which might also bring women the vote.

William O'Neill also explains the effect of the Civil War on the woman's suffrage movement, when he tells of their change in self- image and expectations that resulted from their role during the

War, in his book The Woman Movements

The chief consequence of the war was not, there fore, an actual ravolutionizing of the status of women--some new jobs came their way, although the best of these were lost after the War as often as not--ou-r, a change in "their self-image and expec tations. In particular it persuaded the most ardent that their war services entitled them to vote.11

Advocates of women's rights had been working in the

American Equal Rights Association, a group working ha.rd for the emancipation of the Negro. With the proposed wording of the

Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, advocates of women's rights became alarmed and realized that the passage of this amendment would mean a step backward for women's rights. 12

According to Eleanor Flexner, the proposed wording of the

Fourteenth Amendment, which was.introduced in early summer, 1866, read as followss Representatives shall be apportioned among several states according to their respect_ive numbers, count ing the whole number of persons in each state, ex cluding the Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors 15

of President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial Officers of a State or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such state, being twenty-one years of age and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged except for participation in rebellion of any other crime, the basis of proportion therein shall be reduced, in the proportion which the nwnber of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty one years of age in such state.13

This wording of the proposed Amendment alarmed such women as Mrs. Stanton, Miss Anthony, and Mrs. Stone. The word "male" was to appear for the first time in the Constitution. They felt the use of "male"-in reference to citizen made it questionable 14 as to whether women were also citizens. Mrs. Stanton and Miss

Anthony worked hard with others to secure petitions against the Fourteenth Amendment. The passage of this amendment would make another Constitutional amendment necessary if women were to secure 15 the vote in federal elections. Despite the efforts.of the advocates of woman suffrage, the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in July, 1868. Six months later the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution was introduced to further insure the Negro's right to vote. The proposed

Fifteenth Amendment read as followsa "The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State, on the account of race, color, 16 or previous condition of servitude." Susan B. Anthony again urged an amendment to the :proposed

Fifteenth Amendment which was introduced in 1866. Anthony 16

proposed the addition of "sex" to the list of forbidden dis criminations in the Fifteenth Amendment. 17 Suffrage advocates, provided with the ammunition from Mrs. Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and others, took their arguments and countered such senators as

Senator Williams of Oregon and Senator Frelinghuysen of New

Jersey. The Fifteenth Amendment passed in 1860 without any mention of "sex."18

In an attempt to promote the women's equal rights cause,

Miss Anthony and Mrs. Stanton launched a weekly sixteen-page newspaper, The Revolution. George Francis Train helped the

1 Anthony and Stanton team with the establishment of the newspa.per. 9

In May, 1869. a split took place in the woruen!s mov�111ent.

A January convention called to discuss the issue of suffrage for women gave Mrs. Stanton a chance to cal� for a Constitutional amendment for woman's suffrage. In Century of Struggle, Eleanor

Flexner relates the outcome of the introduction of the woman's suffrage issues

The Equal Rights Association [the group in which the women had been working for women's rights] broke wide open on the issue, and immediately following its annual meeting in New York, Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony organized the National Woman Suffrage Associ ation, for women only [referred to after this as the NWSA].20

Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony felt women's rights had been betrayed by the men in the Equal Rights Association. Their new organization opened membership to women who believed in suffrage 2 and were willing to follow the policies of its leaders. 1 17

A second organization1• the American Women Suffrage

Association (referred to after this as the AWSA), was founded by

Miss Stone in November, 1869. This organization, unlike the NWSA,

opened membership to men and was organized on a delegate basis.

The reason for the break seemed to be Lucy Stone's objection to 22 some of the lecturers involved in the NWSA.

With the split in the suffrage movement, a second newspaper

was started. The Woman's Journal became the newspaper for the

AWSA of January 8, 1870, while the already established Revolution 2 was associated with the NWSA. J

The divisiQn in the Suffrage ranks continued from the 1870's

en ir.to the late 1880's. By the late 1880's, t!'le faro fa�tio:i:: of the Suffrage movement lacked the basic disagreement which had

separated them in 1869. Merger became only a matter of time.

After several unsuccessful attempts, the two organizations finally combined and became the National American Woman Suffrage Associa 2 tion (to be referred to after this as the NAWSA) in 1890. 4

Movement Toward Suffrage

In 1890, the West led the way for woman's suffrage. When

Wyomi�g entered the Union in 1890, it became the first woman 2 suffrage state. 5 Wyoming, as a territory, had granted women the

vote by passing such a bill in 1869; so when Wyoming entered the 26 union in 1890, it became the first state to allow woman-suffrage • . 27 Colorado adopted woman-suffrage in 1893. This victory was very significant for the women's cause because it was the first time 18

· men had gone to the polls and voted to give women the right to 28 ?9 vote. Utah and Idaho both granted women suffrage in 1896.-

Little progress was made for the next fourteen years. Eleanor

Flexner refers to the suffragists as calling the years from 1896 to 1910 as "the doldrums." Suffragists wo n no new states, few referenda were held, and the death of Susan B. Anthony, in 1906, left a vacancy in the NAWSA.JO

In 1910 there was a renewed vigor of action within the JI states. Woman's suffrage was established in Washington 1n that same year. The follo wing two years gave the ballot to women in

California� Arizona, Oregon, and Kansas. In 1912, despite the defeat of woman's suffrage in Ohio; Wisconsin, and Michig:?.rl,

Susan B. Anthony's amendment fo r nationwide suffrage was revived when the platform of the Progressive Party (a newly formed national party behind the candidacy of Theodore Roo sevelt, but located mainly in the midwest to far-west states) favored equal 32 suffrage for men and women.

In 1915, achieving woman's suffrage in Massachusetts,

New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania became the focal point for the suffrage movement. These four states, being industrial states, held large populations ·important in political influence.

There were door-to-door campaigns, outdoor meetings in both large and small towns. The suffrage referenda were lost in all four states . JJ 19

This defeat in 1915 seemed to deny any hope of getting suffrage adopted by further state action. The women then turned their attention to the national capital. They began picketing, parading, and annoying opponents of woman's suffrage. David

Muzzey related that militant action had less effect in persuading the opponents of suffrage than did the gradual winning of the western states. David Muzzey relates the effect of the gradual winning of states on the voting population in the following passages

Politicians pay more heed to votes than to petitions. By 1916 the women in a dozen states had the right to vote for ninety-one presidential electors, and the candidates of both great parties expressed their approval of woman's suffrage. Mr. Wilson [Woodrow Wilson:l was still in·favor of the accomplishment of the reform by state action; but Mr. Hughes [Charles Evans Hughes.] came· out for the Susan B. Anthony amendment.� · In 1917, the accession of New York to the suffrage ranks seemed to hasten the movement. The House passed the amendment for woman's suffrage in January, 1919. The following July suffrage was won in the United States Senate by a margin of 56 to 25. By the end of 1919, only twenty-two states had ratified the suffrage amendment. On August 28, 1920, Tennessee ratified the suffrage amendment as the thirty-sixth state; and the suffrage amendment was adopted.35

The Suffrage Amendment

The initial attempt for a woman's suffrage amendment was introduced to a negative audience, the Congress of 1868. This 20

initial amendment underwent some changes before it became known

as the Anthony amendment ten years later. Mildred Adams in her

b:>ok, The Right to Be People, gives this wording of the Anthony

Amendment a

The first article said that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex" and the second article, that "Congress shall have power to e force this Article by appro priate legislation."3 g

The Anthony Amendment was again introduced to Congress in

1878. It was then meant to ba the Sixteenth Amendment. Senator

- A. A. Sargent of Cal ifornia introduced it to the Senate early in

1878. From 1878 until 1918, the Anthony Amendment was introduced

into Congress after Congress. Mildred Adams related the progress

of the Anthony Amendment during these repeated introductions in

her book, The Right to Be People: _ In the early days it usually died in Committee. In 1887 it was debated on the floor of the Senate, but voted down; it did not reach that eminence again until 1914, when it was defeated . In 1915, the / Anthony Amendment came to a vote in the House, it was defeated by a vote of 204 to 174.37

The Anthony Amendment was a story of continual reappear-

ance before both the House and the Senate. Defeats, revivals,

lobbyists, and lobbying were all pa.rt of the unfolding of what was

eventually made into the Nineteenth Amendment� The real challenge

appeared to be getting the bill out of committee and put to a

8 vote in either the Senate or the H ouse.. 3 21

Mrs. Catt presented a four-fold plan to the Executive

Committee of NAWSA in 1916 which played a major role in the success for adopting woman's suffrage. She felt a combined effort of both state and national movements was needed.39

Work in Washington was done by the National Association's

Congressional Committee under the direction of Mary Wood Park of 40 Boston. Mildred Adams relates the first victory for woman's suffrage on the national level as being won on January 10, 1918.

A joint resolution of House and Senate for woman's suffrage was passed by a single vote in the House. Thirteen months later the 4 resolution came before the Senate where it was defeated. 1 \

With the new 66th Congress in office, a special se�::.ion was called May 19, 1919. President Wilson urged the passage of the Anthony Bill in a cable he sent from Paris. The House passed the bill J04 to 90, and the Senate finally mustered the two-thirds 4 vote needed for the bill's passage on June 4, 1919. 2 In its final and present form the amendment reads: 1. The right of citizens of the United States. to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. 2. Congress shall have the power tz enforce this . Article by appropriate legislation. 3

The Woman's Suffrage Movement was not the product of a single event. It was the product of many related events which covered seventy years. From the meeting of Mrs. Stanton and Mrs.

Mott in London, to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment by 22

Tennesse, countless hours by workers were spent in hopes of securing the franchise for women.

Principal Women Contributors

Although the woman's suffrage movement was supported by countless numbers of individuals, a few figures emerged who are well known for their endeavors to secure the women's right to vote. Women have contributed to the movement in a variety of ways and degrees. Those women mentioned here are only a few of the many contributors to the movement for woman's suffrage; they were, however, identified with positions of leadership in the movement.

Lucretia Nott

Lucretia Coffin Mott, January 3, 1793-November 11, 1880, was born on the island of Nantuckett to Quaker parents. At age eleven she moved with h�r family to Boston, where she entered public school. She continued her education at the Friends' boarding school at Nine Partners, near Poughkeepsie, New York.

44 On April 10, 1811, she married James lfott.

Mrs. Mott's most important work concerned the question of women's rights and slavery. Her interest in "woman's rl.ghts and woman's wrongs" began at Nine Partners school. Her attendance of the world anti-slavery convention in London, 1840, further sparked her interest. She was a major promoter in the 1848

Seneca Falls, New York, women's rights convention. 23

I'lrs. Mott played an important role in spurring- Elizabeth

Cady Stanton to work for the women's rights movement. She also

supported the actions of Mrs. Stanton and Susan B. Anthony in 46 their move for Woman's Suffrage.

Mrs. Mott, although interested in women's rights, dealt more with the antislavery forces. Her brief leadership during the Seneca Falls convention, and her backing of the Anthony-Stanton 47 team were her main contribution to the movement.

Lucretia Mott is remembered for her role in promoting the

1848 Seneca Falls Convention and also for her influence on Mrs.

Stanton.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, November 12, 1815-0ctober 26, 1902, was born into a home of stern religious atmosphere in Johnstown,

New York. Mrs. Stanton studied Greek, Latin, and mathematics with classes of boys in the academy in Johnstown and at age fifteen was sent to the seminary of Emma Willard at Troy, New York, from which she graduated in 18.32. She then studied law for a time with her father, and then in 1840 she married Henry Brewster Stanton.

Immediately following their wedding, they attended the world 48 antislavery convention in London where Mrs. Stanton met Mrs. Mott.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the promoting partner with 49 Lucretia Nott for the 1848 Seneca Falls convention. She participated in the writing of the Declaration of Principles, which 24

she presented at the Seneca Falls convention. This reading on

July 19, 1848, was Mrs, Stanton's maiden speech in a busy career 0 of speaking for women's rights . 5

Mrs. Stanton played the role of outstanding philosopher in the suffrage movement, and she was the first woman to appear

before a Joint Judiciary Committee of both legislative houses.51 One of the real assets of the woman's suffrage movement

was the working partnership between Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Mrs. Stanton, the thinker, writer, and speaker, was kept fairly immobile for twenty years of the movement by her

family responsibilities• .52 Because of this partnership, it is

difficult to separate the contributions of these two women and

attribute them to one or the other individually.

Miss Anthony and .Mrs. Stanton called· a meeting of "The Loyal Women of the Nation" in May, 1863, in New York . This gathering produced the organization, the National Women's Loyal League. Mrs. Stanton became president, Miss Anthony, secretary.53

The team of Stanton and Anthony worked tog.ether against

the proposed Fourteenth Amendment and the Fifteenth Amendment • .54 Their joint efforts also aided in the publication of The

Revolution, a weekly sixteen-page paper that contributed to the 55 movement for woman's suffrage. Following the split in the Equal Rights Association over the question calling for a woman's suffrage amendment, Mrs. 25

- Stanton and Miss Anthony or ganized the Natio nal Wo man's Suffrage

Asso ciatio n, for �omen only . 56

In January, 1870, 11rs . Stanto n rela ted a new approach to

women' s right to the vo te, which had been adopted by the Natio nal

Associ ation, to the Congressional Committee on the District of

Co lum bia. This new approach was bas ed on the philosophy that the

Co nstitution and its amendm en ts already gave women th e right to

vo te. This approach was defeated by an October, 1874, Supreme 57 Court decision.

In 1868, when the first measure providing fo r a woman's

suffrage amendment was introduced to Congres s and later referred

to th e Senate Committee on Privileges and Electio ns , Mrs. Stanton 58 headed a group of speakers at the hearing on the proposai.

In 1890, when th e AW SA and the NWSA merged to fo rm the

NAWSA , Mrs. Stan ton was �lected its first president, a position

she held until 1892 . Her acti ve leadership for woman's suffrage

had co me to an end by this time, and unti l her death in 1902 she

worked on tangent areas such as the divorce questio n and on an 59 educated franchise.

Mrs. Stanton spoke fo r the mo vement thro ugho ut her career.

She, with Miss Anthony, provided the background of the mo vement

for many years.

Susan B. Anthony

Susan Brownwell Anthony, February 15, 1820-March 13, 1906,

was born in Adams, Nassachusetts , and "grew up in an atmosphere 26

of independence and moral zeal." When Susan was six, her family

moved to Battensville, New York, where she attended the district

school. For awhile her father held school in her home, which she

attended. , and this was supplemented by her attendance for one year at Deborah Moulson's boarding school which qual�fied her for a 60 teaching position. Until joining the suffrage movement in 1851 after she met

Mrs . Stanton, Miss Anthony held various teaching and educational administrative positions .

Miss Anthony joined the women's movement after meeting

Mrs. Stanton in 1851. Her desire to meet Mrs . Stanton was activated . I by her mother's and sister's account of the 1848 women's rights 61 convention they attended in Rochester , New York.

Miss Anthony 's first endeavor i� the women 's movement was the planning of the New York state women's rights convention held in Albany while the legislature was in session. She gathered signatures to petitions which eventually gained a hearing for the bills women were supporting. The direct result of this action was the appearance of Hrs. Stanton before the Joint Judiciary 62 Committee which was discussed earlier.

· Many of the contributions of Miss Anthony have already been related through the working partnership of Anthony and _ Stanton. Miss Anthony played the role of organizer for the pa.rt- nership. Since Miss Anthony was unmarried , she was much more 27

mobile than Mrs . Stanton and could ei ther travel or ca.re for the 6 Stanton home when Mrs . Stanton needed to complete some work . 3

In the presidential election of 1872, Susan B. Anthony

led a group of sixteen women in Rochester, New York, first to

re gister, then to vote. Mi ss Anthony was made a test case and was

charged wi th having .. knowingly, wrongfully, and unlawfully voted

for a re pre sentative to the Congress of the United Sta tes." Mi ss

Anthony was sentenced by Justi ce Ward Hunt to pay a one hundred 64 dollar fine which she never paid .

On July 4, 1876, a celebration for the nation's Centennial

was to be held in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. The NWSA was

able to gain permi ssion to pre sent ·a De claration of Rights for

Women . Miss Anthony read the Declaration which was similar to

the one pre sented at the Seneca Fall s Convention of 1848 . 65

Susan B. Anthony replaced Mrs . Stanton as president of

66 the NAWSA in 1892. In 1900, Miss Anthony stepped down as

president, although she remained its vi tal center until her death in 1906.67

Miss Anthony worked as the organizer and agitator for the suffrage movement. Her role in the partnership between Stanton

and herself wa s her greatest asset. Susan B. Anthony managed to get various hearing s to bills she was backing for woman's suffrage .

Lucy Stone Blackwell

was bo Lucy Stone, Augu st lJ, 1818-0ctober 18, 1893, rn 6 8 believed, near West Brookfield, Nassachusetts . Her family 28 according to Eleanor Flexner, a woman worked as hard �s a man but was still considered his inferior.69 Determined to educate herself, Lucy Stone alternated teaching with furthering her education . She spent brief periods at Quaboag Seminary in Warren, Massachusetts, the Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham , Massachusetts, and at Mount

Holyoke Female Semimary . Since her father would not support her education, she did no t enter college until her registration at

Oberlin College in 1843 when she finally had saved enough money. In August, 1847 , she graduated from Oberlin at the age of twenty- - nine. ?O She spok� for women 's rights for the first time at her brother's church in Gardner, Massachusetts, only a few weeks after 71 her college graduation .

Her marriage to Henry Blackwell on May 1, 1855, doubled the number working for her cause in that he pledged to devote his life to the cause of women's rights. 72 Lucy Stone, like so many others, made her initial contribution through the support she gave the Stanton-Anthony team . 73

Lucy Stone separated from the Anthony-Stanton team with the split in the Equal Rights Convention . She became a prominent figure in the second organization, the AWSA . She also worked on the publication of the Woman's Journal. 74 Lucy Stone became interested in women 's rights at an early age . Her prominence in the movement became evident with the formation of the AWSA. Her support of Anthony and Stanton proved valuable to. the suffrage movement. 29

Carrie Chapman Catt

Carrie Chapnan Catt, January 9, 1859-March 9, 1947, was active in the suf:frage movement from the mid 1880' s until a:fter pa:s 7 sage of the suffrage amendment . 5 In 1880, she received her B.S. degree from Iowa State College, a:fter which she �egan to read law. Her first marriage in 1884 ended two years later with the death o:f

Leo Chapman. Mrs. Catt remained in San Francisco where she met some o:f the early advocates o:f woman's su:f:frage, Susan B. Anthony, Julia 76 Ward Hughes, and Lucy Stone . Mrs . Catt returned to Iowa in 1887 77 to organize the Iowa Women Suffrage Association. In 1890, with the unification o:f the suffrage movement, Mrs . Catt entered the national movement. She possessed a great potential as an org�izer and became the chairman of the Organization Committee . 78 Mrs. Catt's role in the suffrage· movement increased when she succeeded Miss Anthony as president of the NAWSA in 1900. She served in that position for four years.79 As president, Mrs .

Catt opened an Association headquarters in New York. 80 Mrs. Catt was briefly apart from the national movement when she was on tour on behal:f of the International Woman Suf:frage 81 Alliance, but resumed her involvement in 1912 . In 1915, she led the movement for a more centralized National unit. 82 In that year she again assumed the presidency of the NAWSA . Eleanor

Flexner describes Mrs . Catt as ''an excellent organizer" "able to conceive a plan of action" and able to insure the implementation JO

of her plan. Elean or Fl exn er claims Mrs. Catt stands equal to 83 Miss Anthony and Mrs. Stanton in the suffrage movement.

Mary Putman Jacobi

. Mary Putman Jacobi, Augu st 31, 1842-June 10 , 19 06, was a

phy si cian, ed ucator and author. Born in London in a Puri tan

family, Mary lived there un til age five when her fam ily

moved to New York. At fifteen she attended New York public school

\.tntil she graduated from the New York C ollege of Pharmacy in 1863 and in 1864 from the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania. Fr om

1866 until her graduation in July 1871, she struggled to first gain

ad mittance and th en to ·achieve the. role of being the second woman doctor of medicine on the registers of the Ecole de Medicin e in 84 Par is.

She worked fo r equal educati on for women and to raise the

standard of the Woman 's Medical College. For suffrage her con

tlribution took pl ace at Albany, New York, in 1894 when she ad.dressed

the constitution al conventi on . Thi s addr ess was reprinted and 85 reused in 19 15 by New York suffragists.

Mary Putnam Jacobi achieved something unique for a wom an .

She became a Doctor of Nedicine, a role only on e woman before her had achieved. · She remains im po rtant because of her May Jl,

1894, speech which has been printed in collected groups of

ora tions and is available for review . today. Jl

Jeannette Rankin, N.C.

Jeannette Rankin was born June 11, 1880 , on a ranch near

Missoula , Nontana . She received her B.S. degree in 1902 from the University of Montana . She became a social worker and

suffrage advocate for woman's suffrage after training in the 8 Russell Sage School of Philanthropy . 6 Miss Rankin was the first woman to ever be elected to the

Congress of the United States. There she served as a Republican

in the House of Representatives . Miss Rankin spoke in favor of

the suffrage amendment. 87

The Liberation Movement In the 196o•s, "an articulate and organized outcry again came from women ." This was stated by June Sochen in her introduc 88 tion to the book The New Feminism in Twenti�th-Century America. The forties and the fifties had resulted in women of the

middle class returning to higher domesticity. Women were marrying earlier and having more children . They represented a smaller

percentage of the professional workers though they were a growing sector of the working force . Although more women atteI?-ded college ,

they now represented a smaller sector of the total enrollment. 89 According to William O'Neill, as the postwar era drew to a close, w�men became increasingly discontented with their docile position.

It became the subject for critical attention . Earlier attempts to bring recognition to the women 's cause were hardly noticed .

Eleanor Flexner' s Century of Struggle , 1959, was "the first 32

professional history of the women's rights movement," but it received little attention except by scholars . Also in 1959 , A Century of Higher Education for American Women , cited women 's declining position in the academic society . Robert Smut's study . Women and Work in America , drew little attention when he discussed 90 how little women's work had changed outside the home since 1890.

In 1961, a Commission on the Status of Women was formed by President Kennedy . Many states followed his example to study the status of women . The women's question was growing; a new generation of activists emerged. They demonstrated, marched, sat in, sat down , joined the Peace Corps and . the civil rights movement in an attempt to prove their equality with men working for the same causes.

In a report to President Kennedy in 1963, the Commission he had formed two years earlier cited the fo llowing problems

concerning the status of womens

job discrimination, unequal educational opportunities, inadequate childcare centers, unfair taxation policies, inequality under the law , and so on . 92 According to William O'Neill in his book, Everyone Was

Brave, the appearance of Betty Friedan 's The Feminine Mystique in 1963 hit upon ripe conditions. The growing uneasiness to which her book was directed needed just such an event to

ccystallize. 93 Mary Lou Thompson, in her book, Vo ices of the New Feminism, describes The Feminine Nystigue in an introduction to an article JJ

by Betty Friedan as "Betty Friedan 's The Feminine Mystique, published in 1963, gave voice to the simmering frustrations of many women and caused others to question some of their accepted values"94 President Nixon's Task Force on Women's Rights and

Responsibilities· presented its recommendations in 1969. These recommendations were presented with urgency. The problems of .1969 were listed as : "job discrimination, unequal educational opportunities, inadequate childcare centers, unfair taxation policies, inequality under the law and so on ." The problems cited in 1963 and again ·in 1969 are identical . 95

National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (hereafter referred to as NOW ) was founded June, 1966, by a group of women attending the Third National Conference of Commissions on the Status of Women . Founding members of NOW included Betty Friedan, Kathryn Clarenback, and a group of 26 other women attending the confer- . ence . 96

Lisa Hammel in her article ''NOW Organiz_ed, '' w,hich appears in The New Feminism in Twentieth-Century America , relates early events of the formation of NOW . NOW was organized to be pa.rt of the human rights revolution . As one of their initial actions, NOW 's board of directors sent a letter asking President Johnson to urge "effective enforcement powers to the Equal Employment J4

7 Opportunity Commission. "9

Mary Lou Thompson in her book, Voices of the New Feminism,

cites the formation of NOW as the official beginning of the modern 8 liberation movement.9 The .first national conference of NOW was

held in Washington, D.C. in 1967. At that meeting NOW's Bill of

Rights was adopted and they include:

I. Equal Rights Constitutional Amendment II . Enforce Law Banning Sex Discrimination in Employment III . Maternity Leave Ri ghts in Employment and in Social Security Benefits IV. Tax Deductions for Home and Child Care Expenses for Working Parents v. Child Day Care Centers VI . Equal and Unsegregated Education VII . Equal Job Training Opportunities and Allowances for Women in Po verty VIII. The Ri t of Women to Control Their Reproductive �� Lives.

Aileen Hernandez's "Editorial From NOW ' s President,"

which appears in June Sochen's Th e New Feminism in Twentieth-

Century America and which originally appeared in the July, 1970 ,

newsletter from NOW, cites th e following numbers for the NOW

organization .

NOW has been fantastically effective in the brief few years since October of 1966 in Washington, D.c., when JOO men and wo men pl edged an all-out war on sex 4iscrimination . We have eighty chapters or chapters in formation in twenty -four . states (and by the time I get that written , a new chapter has come into existence and anoth er state has been add ed to the list ). 100

According to the Encyclopedia of Asso cat ions, Volume I, NOW has

200 local chapters and it holds annual regional conferences and

national conferences at intervals that are no greater than 18 35

months . NOW also has several committees . They includea "Legal; Politics; Legislation; Employment; Marriage and Family ; Public

Accommodations; Education; Women in Religion; Image of Women; 101 Strategy and Tactics.11 NOW is a growing organization, ded�cated· to the rights of women . Its members include both men and women. Although NOW is not the only organization working for women 's rights, it is the principal national organization.

- Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment represents "the constitutional b�sis fo:?7 a.!.l legal equality for women ." It was first introduced to Congress in 192) . The amendment was written by the National Women's Party under the direction of Al�ce Paul. Several court test cases ade the passage of such an amenP.ment necessary to provide equal rights to women . The most recent test case was in

1961 in Hoyt vs . Florida . In this case "the Supreme Court relied on sex as a classification, overruling the demand that 102 women be treated as individuals .0 May 5, 6, and 7, of 1970 were the dates on whi�h the subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments of the Committee on the Judiciary of the United States Sen_ate conducted its hearings on the .. Equal Rights" amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 61 . lOJ The Joint Resolution, as it appears in Bosmajain and Bosmajain's book, This Great Argument: The Rights of Women , reads as followsa 36

Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein) , That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several statess Article-- Section 1 . Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress and the several States shall have power within their respective juris dictions , to enforce this article by appropriate legis lation. Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several states . Section J, This amendment shall take effect one year after the date of ratification. 104 At the opening of the hearing, statements were made by

Sena tor Birch Bayh who presided . His remarks dealt with "the status of women in the United States and the discrimination practiced against them." During the course of the hearing, many people pr esented testimony to the committee& Jean Witter, Chairman of the Equal Rights Amendment Committee of NOW ; she was followed by three members of the Washington Women 's Liberation Movement,

Emma Goldman , Sarah Grimke, and Angelina Grimke ; and Mortimer . 105 Furay of the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO also made a statement.

Although the 9lst Senate did not pass the Equal Rights

Am�ndment, the 9lst House of Representatives did. House Joint 106 Resolution 264 ( same as S.J. 61 ) was debated on August 10 , 1970 . The Women 's Rights Amendment was passed March 22, 1972, ing the by the Senate with a vote of 84 to 8. This amendment bann 37

legal discrimination against women because of their sex was then

sent to the states for ratification.. Hawaii, within hours , became

the first state of the needed 38 to ratify. This measure marks

the first time guarantees for women were made in an amendment by not specifically mentioning them . The measure states:

Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. The Amendment would go into effect two years after the date of ratification by the states . 107

Other Liberation Causes

Abortion

The issue of abortion was listed in NOw 's Bill of Rights at its first national convention . It is a concern of women 's rights, and NOW has been working for its legalization .

According to Pau� Gastonguay in America , an increasingly large number of American citizen's have decided that "the right to abortion should be one criterion of a true democracy ." In

1967, the first liberal abortion law was enacted in Colorado . It was a la� which allowed abortions for expanded therapeutic 108 reasons . Colorado 's action toward abortion seemed to provide the igniting spark which set off this rapidly changing attitude concerning abortion. Progress for allowing abortion made head.way in several states, but the biggest question became& "How do you determine when the unborn child is a human being and therefore pro tected by the Fourteenth and Fifth Amendments?" State 38 legislatures began arbitrarily setting the date at which the fetus was a human being. Many states began allowing nontherapeutic abortions on demand, in which case the original regu�ations and restrictions proposed by abortion advocates themselves have been l09 almost completely overruled. Federal action concerning abortion took effect January 22 , 197) , with the . seven to two Supreme Court decision that read as follows: overruled all states' laws that restricted or_ prohibited a woman 's right to an abor_tion during the first 3 months of pregnancy . The court also ruled that during the next 6 months of pregnancy the state may "regulate the abortion pro cedure in ways that are reasonably related to maternal health and that during the last 10 weeks any Stat� may pro hi bit abcrtion·s , except whcrz it. :!.s necessary to preserve the mother's life, 110

Principal Women Contributors Although the Women's Liberation Novement is supported by a countless number of individuals, a few women have gained significant recognition in this contemporary movement for women's rights. The intent in this section is to identify these women who played leadership roles in the movement.

Betty Friedan Betty Naomi Friedan , whose book The Feminine Mystique was cited earlier in the development of the women's liberation 111 movement , was born in Peoria, Illinois, February 4, 1921 . In

1942 she graduated swnma cum laude with a B.A. from Smith College .

Who's Who of American Women attaches the titles of author and 39

feminist leader to Betty ·Friedan and tells of her lecturing

throughout the United States and Europe to various women 's and 11 political groups . 2

Betty Friedan organized NOW in 1966 and served as its

first president from 1966 to 1970. According to the 8th Edition

of Who's Who of American Women 1974-1975 , she is presently 11 serving as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee for NOw . 3

Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem, granddaughter of Pauline Steinem , an early - feminist who served as president of Ohio Woman 's Suffrage

Association from 1908-1911, was born in Tole.do , Ohio , March 25,

19J6 . She graduated fro m Washington High School in 1952 , received her B .A. in 1956 from Smith College, and then began a career 11 as a writer. 4

Current Biography, 1972 calls Miss Steinem "the most persuasive publicist for the growing feminist movement." Her involvement in the women's liberation movement began in November,

1968 . She spent her time introducing the general public to the feminist movement. She participated in fund raising, �peaking at �llege campuses and before women 's groups .

In 1970 she helped organize the August Women's Strike for Equality and in July, 1971, she helped found the National

Women 's Po litical Caucus . Her most ambitious project, according to Current Biography, was the publication of Ms, which first appeared 116 on newstands in January , 19?2 . 40

Caroline Bird

Miss Caroline Bird was born April 15 , 1915, in New York

City . She attended Vassar College from 1931 to 1934, received her B.A.. degree from the University of Toledo in 19.38 and her

M.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin in i9J9 .

According to the sixth edition of Who's Who of American 11 Women, Miss Bird is a journalist. 7 Miss Bird's speech, "On Being Born Female," appeared in the November 15, 1968, issue of

Vital Speeches. 118

Arvonne Fraser

Arvonne Delrae Skelton Fraser was born in Lamberton, Minnesota , on September 1, 1925. She received her B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota in 194�. The Eighth edition of

Who's Who of American Women classifies Arvonne Fraser as a civic and political worker . In 1971 she was a member of the board of Washington Opportunities for Women and the National Vice-President 119 of the Women 's Equity Action League . Mrs . Fraser delivered a speech to the Student Body of

Western Illinois University , June J, 1971. It appeared in the 120 July 15, 1971, issue of Vital Speeches .

Louise Bushnell

Sue Louise Pringle Bushnell was born in Vancouver, Wash ington , on September JO, 1912 . She received her B .A. degree from

Willamette University in 1934 and her M.Ed. from the University 41

of Portland in 1957 . Mrs . Bushnell took postgraduate work at

Portland State College, Reed College, and San Francisco State 121 College .

Louise Bushnell's speech "What's Happened to Eve?"

appeared in the October 1 , 1970, issue of Vital Speeches. At that

time , Mrs . Bushnell was working with the Public Information 122 Department, National Association of Manufacturers .

Katie Loucheim

Katie Scoffield Loucheim was born in New York City on

December 28, 1903. Mrs . Loucheim graduated from Rosemary Hall in 1921 . She was a student at Col�bia from 1926 to 1927 , Drexel

Institute of Technology in 1964, and Franklin Pierce College in 12 1967. 3 Mrs . Loucheim 's speech "The Citizen in a Changing World" appeared in the November 15, 1963, issue of Vital Speeches . At the time this speech appeared in Vital Speeches, Hrs . Loucheiln 24 was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs.1

Dr. Lillian O'Connor

Dr. Lillian O'Connor was born on January 15, 1904 , in

Baring, Missouri . She graduated ma.gna cum laude from St. Louis

University 1n 1925. She received her M.A. degree from Columbia 125 in 1938 and her Ph.D. in i952 . Tomorrow" Dr. O'Connor's speech "For a Better World appeared in the January 15, 1968, issue of Vital Speeches . At 42

the time Dr . O'Connor 's speech appeared in Vital Speeches she was 1?6 known as an education specialist. -

Other Contributors

Several other women have also delived speeches used for this

study . All these speeches appear in issues of Vital Speeches.

A survey of all issues of Current Biography , the 2nd, Jrd, 6th,

7th, and 8th editions of Who's Who of American · women , all editions

of Who's Who in America and the 1966 , 1967 , 1968, and 1970 editions

of Outstanding Young Women of .America revealed no biographical

material relative to these contributors . These women includet

Dr. Jacqueline St. John , Assistant Professor of History , University of Nebraska . 127

Bernice Sandler, Executive Associate and Director of the Project on the Status and Education of Wome� Association of American Colleges, ·Washington , n.c. 8 . 129 Wilma Scott Heide , President of NOW .

Summary

The woman 's suffrage movement and the women 's liberation movement were not the result of single events . They were the

product of many interrelated events and the efforts of -countless individuals .

The suffrage movement dated from the Seneca. Falls convention in 1848 and covers a span of seventy-two years . It is characterized by various state and national efforts by both men and women to secure the vo te for women . 4J

Within the woman 's suffrage movement , certain women emerged as being prominent . Some of these women have been mentioned in this study because of their contributions . These women include:

Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B . Anthony, Lucy Stone Blackwell, Carrie Chapman Catt , Mary Putnam Jacobi, and Jeannette Rankin .

The liberation movement is dated from the early 1960's and is a relatively young movement . To date , the liberation movement has aided women in securing legislative measures on equal rights and abortion . While the liberation movement is fairly new, it does appear to be an established movement in America today .

; Within the development of the women's liberation movement, certain women have emerged as being prominent. Some of these women were mentioned in .this study because ·of their contributions. These women includes Betty Friedan , Gloria Steinem, Katie

Loucheim , Dr. Lillian O'Connor, Caroline Bird, Louise Bushnell, Arvonne Fraser, Wilma Scott Heide , Bernice Sandler and Dr .

Jacqueline St . John . FOOTNOTES

�leaner Flexner , Century of Struggle: The Women 's Movement in the United States (Cambridge: The Belkamp Press of Harvard , 1959) , p. 77 . 2 Ibid. • pp. 71-74 .

)Ibid. , p. 74 .

4w 111iam L. O'Neill , The Woman Movement (New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc. , 1969 ), p. 22 .

�lexner , Century of Struggle , p. 82. . 6 Ibid. , p. 81 . 7 Ibid . , p. .82 .

8Ibid., p. 84.

9Ibid. , p. 108 .

lODavid Saville Muzzey , The United States of America , Vol. IIs From the Civil War (Chicago a Ginn and Company , 1933), p. 470 . 1 1 0 'Neill, The Woman Movement , PP• 2J-24 .

12 Flexner , Century of Struggle , p. 145 . l Jibid. , P• 14) . 14 Ibid . , P • 145 . 5 1 �. , PP• 143-144 .

16� ., PP• 147-48. l 7Muzzey , The United States, P• 470 .

1�1exner , Century of Struggle , PP• 148-49 . 9 l Ibid. , pp. 150-51 . 0 2 Ibid. , p . 152 .

21 · -Ibid. 4.5

2 2 Ibid .

23Ibid. 4 2 Ibid. , pp. 219-20.

25Muzzey, The United States, p. 470. 6 . 2 Flexner , Century of Struggle, pp . 160-61. 7 2 Muzzey, The United States , p. 470. � 2 lexner , Century of Struggle, p. 222 . 9 2 Muzzey, The United States, p. 471.

JOFlexner , Century of Struggle , p. 248. 31rbid., p. 249 . 32 Muzzey, The United States, pp . 472-73 .

JJFle.xne:r , Century of Struggle, p. 270. J4Muzzey , The United States, pp . 472-7) .

J5Ibid . 6 3 Mildred Adams , The Right to Be People (New York : J. B. Lippincott Company, 1966) , p. 4. J?Ibid. , p. 148 .

JBibid. , p. 149 .

J9Ibid. , pp. 149-50 . 4 olbid., p. 150 . 1 -4 Ibid. , pp. 153-54 · 2 4 Ibid., p. 1.54 . 4 3George E. Delury , ed ., The World Almanac and Book of' Facts 1974 (United States of America: Newspaper Enterprise Association Inc., 1973 ) , p. 760 .

44numas Malone, ed. , Dictionary of Ameri can Biograph� Vol . XIII (New York: Charles Scribner 's Sons, 1934) , pp . 288-89 . 46

. 45 IY!alone, Dictionary of American BiographYt p. 289 . 46 Constance Buel Burnett, Five fo r Freedom (New York: Greenwood Press, 1968) , p. 46. 7 4 Malone, Dictionary of American Biography , p. 289 . 8 4 numas Malonet ed., Dictionary of American Biography , Vol. XVII, (New Yorks Charles Scribner ' s Sons , 1935) , p • .521. 9 4 Malone, Dictionary ·of American Biography , Vol . XIII, p. 289 .

5 0Burnett, Five for Freedom, pp . 69-72 .

5�lexner, Century of Struggle, p. 86•

.52Ibid. , p. 88 . 3 5 Ibid . , p. 109 • .54I bid., pp . 14 -48 . 5

5�urnett , Five for Freedom, p. 109 .

56Mary Lou Thompson , ed. , Voices of the New Feminism (Boston: Bacon Press, 1970), p. 17.

57Flexner, Century of Struggle, PP • 168- 9 . 6 5Bl bid. , p. l?J .

59Ibid. , p. 220.

60Allen Johnson , ed ., Dictionar of American Bio Vol. I, (New York: Charles Scribner 's Sons , 1928 � pp .

61:surnett , Five for Freedom , p. 208 .

6 of Struggle, PP• 8 - . 2Flexner , Century 5 86

6Jibid. , p. 88.

64Th ompson, New Feminism , P• 1 8 •

6�1exner, Century of Struggle, PP • 170-71.

66Burnett, Five for Freedom , P• 253. 47

67Flexner , Century of Struggle, pp . 23 -3 . 7 9

68numas Nalone , ed . , Dictionar of American Vol . XVIII (New York: Charles Scribner 's Sons , 193 6 9Fle.xner, Century of Struggle, p. 69 . 0 7 Malone, Dictionary of American Biography , Vol. XVIII , p. 80 .

71r exner , Century of Struggle , p. 69 . 1 2 7 Halone, Dictionary of American Biography , Vol. XVIII , p. 81 .

7JFlexner, Century of Struggle , p. 84.

74Burnett, Five for Freedom , p. 168. 5 7 Anna Rathe , ed ., Current Biography; Who's New and Why (New Yorks The H .. W. Wilson Company , 1947), p. 101.

76:Maxine Block, ed ., Curren-t. B iography: Who's New and Whv . (New York: The H. W. Wilson Company , 1940) , p. 151 .

??Ibid .

?�lexner , Century of Struggle, p. 236 .

79Block , Current Biography , 1940 , p. 151 . 0 . 8 Flexner, Century of Struggle, p. 248 .

8 1Ibid ., p. 258.

82Ibid ., pp . 265-66 .

BJibid., p. 275.

84numas Malone, ed. , Dictionar of American Bio a h , Vol: IX (New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 1932 , p. 5 . • . 8 5�. , p. 565 .

86navid Josiah Brewer, ed. , World 's Best Orations ( Chicago: F. P. Kaiser Publishing Company , 1900) , P • 37 . B7Ibid . 48

88 June Sochen, ed ., The New Feminism in Twentieth-Century America (Lexington , Nassachusetts : D. c. Heath and Company, 1971) , p. x. 89 William L. O'Neill , Eve one Was Braves The Rise and Fall of Feminism in America (Chicago : Quadrangle Books, 1969 , p. JJ8.

90Ibid . , p . 340 .

91Ibid ., p. 342 .

92Hamida Bosmajian and Haig Bosmajian , editors , This Great Argument: The Rights of Women (Menlo Park , California: Addison Wesley Publishing Company, 1972) , p. 247 . 3 9 o'Neill , Everyone Was Brave , pp . J42-4J .

94Thompson , Voices, p. 31.

9�osmajain and Bosmajain , This Great Argument, p . 201 . . . . 6 9 Nancy Gager , ed ., Women ' s Rights ALmanac 1974 (Bethe sda , Maryland: Elizabeth Cady Stanton Publishing Company , 1974) , p. 399.

97Lisa Hammel, "NOW Organized" in The New F eminism in Twentieth-Century America , ed . by June Sochen (Lexin gton , Massachusetts: D. c. Heath and Company , 1971), PP • 173-74 .

9BThompson, Vo ices , P• 31. 99 Aileen Hernandez, "Editorial From NOW President" in The New Feminism in Twentieth-Centu America, edited by June Soche in i'iassachusetts: D. c. Heath and Company , 1971), n Lex gton , p. 176 . 10 0 Sochen , The New Feminism , p. 173 . l OlMargaret Fisk, ed ., En c clo edia of Asso ciations Vol . I , Detro it: Gale Research National Organizations of the U.S. , 1972 Co . , 1972), p. 871 . 10 Almanac 1974 , 0 -07 . 2Gager, Women 's Rights PP • 5 6 l OJBosmajain and Bosmajain , This Great ArgUIT1ent, P• 201.

l04Ibid .

0 l 5Ibid. , pp . 201-02 . 49

10 6 Ibid., p. 230. 107 Delury , ed . , World Almanac 1971.f· , 1002 . 10 8Paul R. Gastonguay , "The 14th Amendment and Human Life." America , A�il 15, 1972 , p. 400 .

l09Ibid. 110 Delury , ed . , World Almanac 1974 , p. 98J . 11 1who 's Who of American Women, 1974-1975 (Chicago: The A, N, Marquis Company, 1973), p 112 Ibid. l l3Ibid . 114 Charles Moritz, ed ., Current Biography, 1972 (New Yorks The H. W. Wilson Company, 1972 ), p. 412. ll5Ibid. i16 -2:£·1b . . l l7Who '-s Who of American Women 1 70-1 1 (Chicago : The A. N. Marquis Company, 19 9 , p. 101. 118 caroline Bird, "On Being Born Female," Vital Speeches , November 15 , 1968, p. 88. ll9Who's Who of American Women, 1974-1975, p. 314. 1 0 2 Arvonne s. Fraser, "Womens The New Image ," Vital Speeches, July 15, 1971 , p. 599 . 1 21i-Tho ' s Who of American Women, 19?0..-1971 , P• 178. 1 22Louise Bushnell, "What's Happened to Eve," Vital Speeches, October 1, 1970, p. 749 . 1 23who ' s Who of American Women , P• 754.

124Katie Loucheim, "Citizen in a Changing World," Vital Speeches, November 15 , 1963 , P • 93 . . �5L·f ho' s Who of American Women 50

126 Dr. Lillian O'Connor, "For a Better World Tomorrow, " Vital Spee ches, January 15, 1968, p. 214.

127 . ' Dr. Jacqueline St. John, 'Today and Tomorrow, ' ' Vital Speeches, June 15, 1972 , p . 528. 2 1 - ernice Sandler, "Women In Higher Education, " Vital Speeches, Jun� e 15 , 1972, p . 532. l29 Wilma Scott Heide , "Revolution," Vital Speeches, May 1, 1973 . p . 424. CHAPI'ER III

. THENES AND RE CURRENCE OF THEMES WITHIN AND

BETWEEN THE RHETORIC OF THE W0 ¥AN'S

SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT AND THE WOMEN'S

LIBERATION MOVEMENT

Introduction

The intent in this chapter is to identify the themes in selected speeches from the woman 's suffrage movement and the women's liberation movement and to discover the degree of recurrence o! themes within and between the two movements.

The chapter is divided into· three major sections . The first section includes identification of themes in the selected speeches from the woman's suffrage movement. The second section includes identification of themes from the women 's liberation movement. The third section deals with the recurrence of themes within and between the two movements .

Woman's Suffrage Speeches

Elizabeth Cady Stanton July 16-17, 1848

Elizabeth Cady Stanton presented the speech "First Woman' s Rights Convention" (This was the title under which the speech was found in William Boutwell's book Great Speeches from Pericles to Kennedy . ) at the first women 's rights convention in America . 52

The Convention held in Seneca Falls , New York, lasted two days; and references indicate that Mrs . Stanton presented her speech on 1 the second day . The text for Mrs . Stanton 's speech was taken from

''Great Speeches from Pericles to Kennedy, William Boutwell, ed. 2 In this speech of Mrs . Stanton , three assertive themes

emerged. The first theme expre ssed the idea that (1) women themselves must work for their equality of rights because women

alone can understand the intensity of their problem .3 Mrs . Stanton' s second assertive theme expressed the idea that (2) the question of women 's rights is important because its outcome will affect all 4 human beings . The third theme expressed by Mrs . Stanton developed

th� idea ·that (3) the era in history when she was speaking was the best time for a movement for women 's equal rights . 5

Susan Brownell Anthony January 25, 1887 Susan B. Anthony presented the speech "For the Woman's

Suffrage Amendment" (this was the title under which the speech was found in Ernest J. Wrage 's American Forunu Speeches on Historic

Issues, 1788-1900) before the United States Senate as pa.rt of the 6 debate on the woman 's suffrage amendment . The text of this speech 7 was taken from the U.S. Congressional Record. In the speech referred to as "For the Woman 's Suffrage Amendment ," Miss Anthony presented six assertive themes and one refutational theme . 53

The first assertive theme expressed the idea that ( 1) 8 the theory of our government entitles women ·to the vote. Miss Anthony's second theme expressed the idea that (2) women's 9 taxation without representation is not fair . The idea (3 ) that women are entitled to the vote be·cause they are citizens was 10 expressed by Miss Anthony in her third assertive theme. The fourth assertive theme presented by Miss Anthony related the idea that (4) women wish to become a pa.rt in the balance of political 11 power . The fifth theme was that (5) total not partial suffrage 12 is needed . In �er final assertive theme, Miss Anthony expressed the idea that {6) the women's right to vote is a national not state 1 ccnc�rn. 3 Miss Anthony's one refutational theme answered the question which asked why suffrage couldn't be won by ".direct-popular vote."

In answer to the question, Hiss Anthony expressed the idea that

(?) it would be impossible and too humiliating to secure woman's 14 suffrage by "direct popular vote."

Mary Putnam Jacobi May 31, 1894 Mary Putnam Jacobi addressed the Suffrage Committee of · the New York State Constitutional Convention on May Jl, 1894, in Albany, New York. On this occasion , Mrs . Jacobi presented the speech "Woman's Suf'frage." The text for Mrs . Jacobi 's speech "Woman's Suffrage" was taken from Voltime 42 of Werner Readings and Recitations. 15 In this speech, Mrs. Jacobi presented four assertive

themes. The first expressed the idea that (1) giving American

women the vote would provide a signal for a similar course of 1 action in the rest of the civilized world. 6 The idea that (2)

women have never been a separate class was expressed by Mrs . 17 Jacobi in her second theme . The third theme expressed the idea

that (J) women demand the vote because they fill all the qualifications. 18 Mrs. Jacobi 's fourth and final theme expressed the idea that (4) women are attempting to achieve equality for all. 19

Carrie Chapman Catt June 13, 1.911

Carrie Chapman Catt presented a presiQ�ntial addres� at the Sixth Convention of the International Woman 's Suffrage Alliance in Stockholm , Sweden . The speech Mrs . Catt presented on June lJ, 1911, was titled "The World Movement for Suffrage ." The text for

Mrs . Catt's speech was taken from Famous Speeches by Eminent 20 American Statesmen, Frederick C. Hicks, editor. In this speech by Hrs . Catt, four assertive themes and one refutat.ional theme emerge . The first four themes presented were . assertive themes and the final theme was refutational. Mrs . Catts first theme expressed the idea that (1) the contemporary woman 's suffrage movement has a definite purpose and clear under standing. 21 The idea tha.t (2) women are insisting on political rights as part of the contemporary movement was expressed by Mrs . 22 Catt in her second assertive theme . Mrs . Catt expressed the idea 55

that (J) the movement for woman 's suffrage is not receding in her third theme .23 Mrs . Catt's final assertive theme was that (4) the movement is near to achieving its goa1.24

The refutational theme expressed by Mrs . Catt answered the question , why were women not content to wait for evolution to bring them equality of rights . To this Mrs . Catt responded that

(5) women can not sit idle while other women are suffering unjust treatment .25

Jeannette Rankin January 10, 191 8 Jeannette �ankin delivered the speech "Woman 's Suffrage and Warn · dur;ng a debate on the Wo�an 's Suffra�e Amendm�mt in the

House of Representatives . The speech was presented January 10 , 1918 .26 The text for Mrs . Rankin's speech "Woman's Suffrage and 27 War" was taken from David Brewer's World's .B est Orations. In this speech Mrs . Rankin presented two assertive themes. The first theme expressed the idea that (1) America now more than 28 ever before needs its women . The idea that (2 ) America is not working as individual states but as a nation was expressed by Mrs . Rankin in her second theme .29

Women's Liberation Speeches

Mrs . Katie Loucheim October 12, 1963

Mrs . Katie Loucheim, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State "The Citizen in a for Public Affairs t delivered the speech . 56

Changing World" was taken from Vital Speeches, November 15, 31 1963. In this speech, Mrs . Loucheirn expressed six assertive themes following a lengthy introduction which appeared to be intended as a clarification of the political, economic, and social situation of the time at which Mrs . Loucheiln was speaking. The first assertive theme expressed the idea that (1) women's emergence into "the public light of day" has been impres sive in the pa.st few generations.32 The second theme was also assertive, and expressed the idea that (2 ) there are many and - complex reasons for the change in the status of women. 33 Mrs . Loucheim 's third theme , again assertive, expressed the idea that (J) women's clubs have been discovered as a progressive force by emerging women. The idea that (4) American women 's voluntary organizations have become a topic of international study was the fourth assertive theme expressed by Mrs . Loucheim in her speech .35

The fifth theme expressed the idea that ( 5) Foreign Aid is a new area with which women 's groups have become concerned. 36 The final and sixth theme expressed by Mrs . Loucheim contained the idea that the (6 ) every individual citizen is an important force in United States.37

Dr. Lillian O'Connor October 4, 1967 is referred to by the January 15 , Dr . Lillian O'Connor Educational Specialist. Dr 1968 , issue of Vital Spe eches as an .

0' Connor delivered the speech "For a Better World Tomorrow•• 5?

before the 16th Congress of the World Union Catholic Women 's

Org�ization in Rome . The speech was delivered on October 4, 38 196? . The text for Dr. O'Connor's speech was taken from the January 15 , 1968, issue of Vital Speeches .39 In this speech ,

Dr. O'Connor presented two assertive themes. Dr. O ' Connor' s first

theme expressed the idea that (1) women are as guilty as men for

women's lack of contributions to the "recorded history of ideas ."40

The second theme expressed by Dr. O ' Connor revealed the idea that

(2) women 's lives have undergone a dramatic change, therefore, 1 they can no longer just enjoy life.4

Caroline Bird September 25, 1960

Miss Caroline Bird is classified as an author in the

November 15, 1968, issue of Vital Speech'es . Miss Bird presented

the speech "On Being Born Female" before the Episcopal Church

Executive Co uncil in Greenwich , Connecticut, on September 25, 1968.42 The text for Miss Bird's speech was taken from the

November 15 , 1968, issue of Vital Speeches .43

In this speech , Miss Bird presented six assertive themes.

Her first theme expressed the idea that (1) di£ferences between individuals of opposite sex exist more in people's minds than in 44 fact. The second theme expressed the idea that (2) women now have more years when bearing and rearing children are not 45 occupying their live s . The third idea that (3) wom en are against the "protective laws" which limit woman 's work was 58

expressed in Mrs . Bird's third theme .46- The fourth theme expressed

the idea that (4) women no longer believe they can give their time 7 fully to volunteer work.4 Miss Bird expressed the idea that (5) women have been granted only token positions on national committees by political parties since they were given suffrage -in her fifth 48 theme . The sixth and final theme expressed the idea that (6)

only when a woman had to become a wife to make a living did

sexism make sense.49

Louise Bushnell September 10, 1970 Louise Bushnell, according to Vital Speeches, October 1,

1970, r:a.� working in the Public Inforiilation Departruent , ?Jational Association of Manufacturers . Hrs . Bushnell presented the speech ..W hat's Happened to Eve" before the American Business Woman's

Association (Boss Night ) in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The 50 speech was deliv�red September 10, 1970 . The text for Louise Bushnell' s speech was taken from the October 1, 1970, issue of 1 Vital Speeches.5 In this speech, Mrs . Bushnell presented four assertive themes. The first theme expressed the idea tha.t.(l) differences 52 exist in pay and jobs available to men and women . Mrs . - Bushnell' s second theme expressed the idea that (2 ) passing a law 5 is only pa.rt of the task toward equality . 3 The idea that (3) the . frustrations of American women must be dealt with calmly and with good sense was expressed in the �hird theme. .54 The fourth 59

and final theme expressed by Mrs . Bushnell contained the idea that (4) the evolution of women's rights creates both good and bad situations , because with equality comes responsibility.55

Arvonne S. Fraser June 3, 1971

Arvonne s. Fraser, according to the July 5, 1971, issue of Vital Speeches, was the Chairman of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Women's Equity Action League . Arvonne Fraser presented the speech "W.omen" to the student body of Western Illinois

University on June J, 1971.56 The text for the speech "Women" 7 was taken from Vital Speeches, July 15 , 1971.5 In this speech of Arvonne Fraser , four assertive themes emerged . The first theme expressed the idea that (1) a society run by a white male 8 minority is not acceptable .5 The idea that (2) people must sta.rt considering new roles and mental images of women if there is to be concern for ecology, population, and environment was 9 expressed as the second theme .5 Arvonne Fraser's third theme developed the idea that {J) the status of women would be brought 60 to the attention of society through the Equal Rights Amendment. The fourth and final theme presented by Arvonne Fraser expressed the idea that (4) the women ' s liberation movement is with us to 61 stay. 60

Wilma Scott Heide Narch 6, 1972 Wilma Scott Heide, President of the National Organization for Women, delivered the speech "Feminism0 on March 6m 1973 . It was presented at the University of Nebraska in Lincoin . 62 The text for �1rs . Heide ' s speech was taken from the April 15, 1972, issue of Vital Speeches . 63

In this speech, Mrs . Heide presented eleven assertive themes. The first was that (1) it is not fair for people to utilize a language that denies the existence of women as human beings. 64

The idea tha.t (2 ) "sexual inequality" has always been the "basic human inequality" emerged as the second theme. 65 The idea, t.hat

(3) women do not possess constitutional equality was expressed as Mrs . Heide 's third theme . 66 For her fou.rth theme she asserted,

(4) women would be eligible for the draft if the Equal Rights Amendment were passed. 67 The fifth theme to emerge from Mrs . Heide's speech, "Feminism," expressed the idea that (5) more legislation on all levels of government is needed in addition to 8 the Equal Rights Amendment. 6 The idea that (6 ) a women 's image is distorted or absent in the mass media was expressed -by Mrs • . 9 Heide iii her sixth theme . 6 Mrs . Heide 's seventh theme was that (7) women have not had a vo ice in the discussions concerning their equality with men . 70 In Mrs . Heide 's eighth theme the idea that

(8) women are denied control of their own bodies is expressed.. 71

The ninth theme that emerged during Mrs. Heide's speech contained 61

the idea that (9) stereotyping is being challenged by the movement for women's rights.92 The idea that (10) both sexes possess the capacity for male and female traits was expressed by Mrs. Heide in her tenth assertive theme .73 Mrs . Heide's eleventh and final theme

stated that (11) sex prejudice results in greater economic loss than racial prejudice.74

Bernice Sandler March ?, 1972

Bernice Sand ler, according to the June 15, 1973 , issue of Vital Speeches was the Executive Associate and Director of the Project on the Status and Education of Women, Association of 5 American ·colleges, in Wash; ngton , D.c.7 She presented the speech "Women in Higher Education.. before the Concurrent General Session

I at the 27th National Conference on Higher Education which was sponsored by the American Association for Higher Education. This 76 speech was delivered on March 7, 1972 , in Chicago , Illinois. The text for Bernice Sandler's speech was taken from Vital Speeches ,

June 15, 1972.77 In this speech eight assertive themes emerge. Bernice Sandler's first theme expressed the idea that (1) higher education 78 is th� area most often criticized for the way it treats women.

Her second theme was that (2 ) women wish to be free of the "myths" 79 Which have denied them equality with men. The idea that (3) the ·final "so cially acceptable prejudice" is discrimination because of sex, was expressed by Bernice Sandler in her third 62

80 assertive theme . The fourth assertive theme expressed the idea

that (4) women want positive action to alleviate the effects of 81 discrimination in the pa.st . Bernice Sandler expressed the idea

that (5) women students must have "open admissions" to all co

educational schools in her fifth assertive theme.82 The idea

that (6) female students must be made· aware of the changes in the 8 world. that affect them emerged as Bernice Sand.ler•s sixth theme . 3

The seventh theme expressed the idea that (7) compassion must be

expressed for individuals who have been stifled by experiences -- 84 in their past. _ The eighth and final theme was that (8) attitudes

towards what women want, like, and need will be the hardest to

alter. 85

Dr. Jac ueline St . John April 2g , 1972

Dr. Jacqueline $t. John, Assistant Professor of History

at the Un iversity of Nebraska, presented the speech "Women's

Legislative Issues," on April 26, 1972 . The speech was delivered 86 at the Institute for B11siness Women . The text for Dr. St.

John's speech ''Women 's Legislative Issues" was taken from the 87 June 15, 1972 , issue of Vital Speeches. In this speech, nine assertive themes emerge . The first expressed the idea that (1) women are important and they are 88 affected by some legislative issues . Dr. St. John's second assertive theme expressed the idea that (2) there is a need by 9 working mothers for proper child-care centers . 8 The idea that 63

{J) working women hold an economic position unequal to their male

counterparts was expressed by Dr. St . John in her third assertive 0 theme . 9 The fourth theme to emerge related the idea that (4) women are a minority because their political , economic, and l social strength has not effectively been utilized. 9 In her fifth

theme Dr. St . John expressed the idea that (5) the new surge ·of feminism is a product of women's deteriorating condition" and 9 "increasing spread of equalitarian ideas ... 2 Dr. St. John argued

in her sixth theme that (6) the more progress women make the more 3 they become awar� of the uselessness of inequality . 9 She held , in her seventh assertive theme , that (? ) society is insensitive 9 and. contemptible towards t·iomcn . 4 The eighth theme was that ( 8) male do ctors have given women the task of controlling conception by the advent of the birth control pill.95 In her ninth and final theme, Dr. St . John finally offers the theme that (9) abortion should be a private matter between the :patient and the physician. 96

Wilma Scott Heide February 17-19, 1973

Wilma Scott Heide , President of NOW , delivered the speech

"Revolution" at the Sixth National Conference of NOW . The speech was delivered sometime during the three-day conference which was c 97 held February 17-19 , 197) , in Washington , D� . The text :for Mrs. Heide 's speech "Revolution" was taken from the May 1, 98 1973 issue of Vital Speeches . 64

In this speech, Mrs . Heide presents four assertive themes .

The first theme e�presses the idea that ( 1) NOW 's value is in its

9 diversity . 9 The idea that (2 ) NOW members must "dare to care"

( they must be brave enough to work for what they want) is expressed 100 by Mrs . Heide in her second theme . Mrs . Heide's third theme -- expressed the idea that (3) NOW members want the id.ea of feminism 101 to be given a chance . The fourth and final theme expressed the idea that (4) democracy does not exist when a country is run 102 by white males.

Theme Recurrence

Suffrage_Themes

The assertive themes presented in the selected speeches from the suffrage movement were as fo llows:

1. Women themselves must work for their equality of rights because women alone can understand the intensity of their problems .

2. The question of women 's rights is important because its outcome will affect all human beings .

3 . The era in history when she (Elizabeth Stanton) was speaking was the best time for a movement for women 's equal rights.

4 . The theory of our government entitles women to the vote.

5. Women 's taxation without representation is not fair .

6. Women are entitled to the vote because they are citizens. 7. Women wish to become a part in the balance of political

power .

8. Total not partial suffrage is needed .

9. The women 's right to vote is a national not a state

concern .

10 . Giving American women the vote would provide a signal

for a similar course of action in the rest of the civilized world .

11. Women have never been a separate class .

12 • Women demand the vote because they fill all the

qualifications .

13 . Women ar e at tempting to achieve equality for all .

14 . The contemporary woman 's suffrage movement has a definite purpo se and clear understanding.

15 . Women are in sisting on political rights as pa.rt of the contemporary movement .

16 . The movement for woman 's suffrage is no t receding.

1?. The movement is near to achieving its goal.

18. America, now more than ever before , needs its women .

19 . America is not working as individual states but as a nation. d The refutational themes presented in the selecte ·speeches from the suffrage movement were as followss se 1. It would be impossible and too humiliating to cure woman's suffrage by "direct popular vote ." 66

2 . Women can not sit id.le while other women are suffering

unjust treatment .

Recurren ce of specific suffrage themes /

A total of nineteen assertive themes wer� discovered �

the speeches selected from the woman 's suffrage movement , addition-

ally two refutational themes were discovered. The assertive themes

have been analyzed as the recurrence of specific themes and the

recurrence of categories into which the themes can be placed.

The refutational themes offer no bas is for evaluating their

recurrence since they represent a spe cific answer by a speaker

to an argtL�ent cire cted 8.otra inst her cause .

Of the nineteen assertive themes which were discovered in

the selected speeches from the woman 's suffrage movement , eighteen

were found to be unique and nonrecurring . The one specific

theme which did recur was expressed by both Miss Anthony (7) and

by Mrs . Catt (15) . This theme expressed the idea that women want

their political rights .

Liberation Themes

.The assertive themes pr esented in the selected speeches from the suffrage movement were as fo llows &

of day 1. Women• s emergenc·e into "the public light " has been impressive in the past few generations. 6?

2 . There are many and complex reasons for the change in

the status of women .

J . Women 's clubs have been discovered as a pro gressive

force by emerging women .

4. American women 's organizations have become a topic of international study .

5 . Foreign Aid is a new area with which women 's groups have become concerned .

6 . Every individual citizen is an import.ant force in the

United States .

7 . Women are as guilty as men for women ' s lack of contributions to the "recorded history of ideas ."

8. A woman 's life has undergone a dramatic change ; therefore, she can no longer just enjoy life .

9 . Differences. be tween individuals of opposite sex exist more in people 's minds than in fact .

10 . Women now have more yea.rs when bearing and rearing children are not �ccupying their lives .

11 . Women are against the "protective laws" which limit women ' s work .

12. Women no longer believe they can give their time freely to vo lunteer work .

lJ . Women , s ince they were given suffrage , have been granted only token positions on national committees by political parties . 68

14. Only when a . woman had tO become a wife to make a living did sexism make sense .

15 . Differences exist in pay and jobs available to men and women.

16 . Passing a law is only part of the task toward equality.

17 . The frustrations of American women must be dealt with calmly and with good sense.

18 . The evolution of women's rights creates both good and bad situations be�use with equality comes responsibility .

19 . A society run by a white male minority is not acceptable.

20 . People must start considering new roles and mental images of women if there is to be concern for ecology, population, and environment. 21. The status of women would be brought to the attention of society through the Equal Rights Amendment .

22 . The women's liberation movement is with us to stay.

23 . It is not fair for us to utilize a language that denies the existence of women as human beings .

24. "Sexual inequality" has always been the "basic human inequality ."

25 . Women do not possess constitutional equality .

26 . Women would be eligible for the draft if the Equal Rights Amendment were passed . 69

27. More legislation on all levels of government is needed

in addition to the Equal Rights Amendment.

28. A woman 's image is distorted or absent in the ffiass

media .

29. Women have not had a voice in the q.iscussions con

cerning their equality with men .

JO . Women are denied control of their own bodies .

Jl . Stereotyping is being challenged by the movement for

women 's rights .

J2 . Both sexes possess the capacity for male and female

traits.

J) . Sex prejudice results in a grea.tcT econcwic loco

than racial prejudice .

J4. Higher education is the area most often criticized

for the way it treats women .

J5 . Women wish to be free of the "myths" which have

denied them equality with men .

J6. The final "socially acceptable prejudice" is dis-

crimination because of sex .

J7 . Women want positive action to alleviate the effects

of discrimination in the past .

JB . Women students must have "open admissions" to all

co educational schools .

39 . Female students must be made aware of the changes in the world that affect them . ?O

40 . We must express compassion for individuals who have

been stifled by experiences in their past .

41 . Attitudes toward what women want , like , and need

will be the hardest to alter .

42 . Women are im::portant and they are affected by some

legislative issues.

4J . There is a need by working mothers for proper child-

care centers .

44. Working women hold an economic position unequal to -

their ma.le couterparts.

4.5 . Women are a minority because their political, economic,

and social strengths have not effectively been utilized.

46. The new surge of feminism is a product of woman 's

"deteriorating condition" and "increasing spread of equalitarian

ideas ."

4? . The more progress women make the more they become aware of the uselessness of inequality.

48. So ciety is insensitive and contemptible toward women .

49. Male do ctors have given women the task of controlling conception by the advent of the birth control pill .

50. Abortion should be a private matter between the

patient and the physician •

.51. NOW 's value is in its diversity •

(They must be brave .52 . NOW members must "dare to care ." enough to work for what they want . ) ?l

53 . NOW members want the idea of feminism to be given a chance •

.54. Democracy do es not exist when a country is run by white males .

Recurrence of specific liberation themes

A total of fifty-four assertive themes were discovered in the speeches selected from the women 's liberation movement . Of these fifty-four themes, fifty-two were unique and nonrecurring .

Two themes did recur within the rhetoric of the women 's liberation movement . The first theme that recurred was expressed by both

Louise Bushnell (10) and Dr . Jacqueline St . John (44) and .i.t embodied the idea that there is a difference in the economic positions available to male and female counterparts .

The second recurring theme expressed the idea that it is unfair for a male , white minority to control our country . This theme was expressed by both Arvonn e Fraser (19) and Wilma Scott

Heide (.54) .

Recurrence of Specific Themes

From an examination of the specific themes found in the

them speeches from each of the two movements , no recurrence of es was discovered . 72

Categorical Analys is of Themes

To further evaluate recurren ce of themes within and between

the two movements, the discovered themes have been placed in topic

categories that were established inductively from the ideas

expressed within the themes. The evaluation of recurrence of

themes within this section will depend on the number of themes

which express ideas judged to fall within the boundaries of the

established categories .

Categories for Woman 's Suffrage

Six categories were established from the ideas expressed

in the assertive woman 's suffrage themes . The dis covered themes

were then placed in the appro priate categories .

Category I--This category is composed of themes which

express ideas on the status of America during the suffrage movement .

The two themes which belong to this category include :

18. America , now more than ever before , needs its women .

19 . America is no t working as individual states but as a nation .

category II--Thi s category is composed o� themes which

u expr�ss ideas on the status of the woman 's s ffrage movement .

The three themes which belong to this category include theses

14 . The contemporary woman 's suffrage movement has a definite purpose and clear understanding .

di 16 . The movement for woman 's suffrage is not rece ng .

its goal . 17 . The movement is near to achieving 73

Category III--This category is composed of themes which

express ideas concerning women 's political rights . The three

themes which belong to this category include these:

4. The theory of our government entitles women to the vote .

5. Women's taxation without representation is not fair .

6 . Women are entitled to the vote because they are

citizens.

Category IV--This category is composed of themes which

express ideas concerning women 's political demands . The three

themes wh.lch belong to this category include these:

7. Women wish to become a pa.rt in the balance of political

power .

12. Women demand the vote because they fill all the

qualifications.

15. Women are �sisting on political rights as part of

the ntemporary movement. .

Category V--This category is composed of themes that express

ideas concerning the achievement of suffrage for women . The two

themes which belong to this category include these:

l. Women themselves must work for their equality of rights

because women alone can understand the intensity of their problems .

9. The women 's right to vote is a national not a state

concern .

Category VI --This category is composed of individual themes which do not belong to any other particular category and therefore 74

possess ideas separate and unique. Six themes have been included in this category and they include the fo llowings

2. The question of women 's rights is important because its outcome will affect all human beings .

J . The era in history when she (Elizabeth Stanton ) was speaking was the best time for a movement for women 's equal rights .

8. Total not p:Lrtial suffrage is needed.

10 . Giving American women the vo te would provide a signal for a similar course of action in the rest of the civilized world .

11 . Women have never been a separate class.

13 . Women are attempting to achieve equality for all .

This development of categories indicates tha.t while thcTe is only one recurrence of a specific theme , some of the themes do express ideas which are of a similar nature within the suffrage movement speeches.

Categories for Women 's Liberation

Ten categories were established which seemed to best encompass the themes of the Women 's Liberation movement . Each of the themes previously identified was then place� in the mo st appropriate category as determined by the writer.

Category. I--This category is compo sed of themes which express ideas on the economic status of women . Three themes were placed in this categoryi

15 . Differences exist in pay and jobs available to men and women . 75

33 . Sex prejudice results in a greater economic loss than

racial prejudice.

44. Working women ho ld an economic position unequal to /

their male counterparts .

Category II--This category is composed of themes which

express ideas on the status of women in higher education . These

are the three themes which appeared to belong to this categorys

34. Higher education is the area mo st often criticized

the way it treats women .

38. Women students must hav e 0open admissions" to all

coeducational schools .

. 39 . Female students mus t be made aware of the changes in

the world that affect them .

Category III--This category is composed of themes which

express demands and wishes being made in the women 's liberation

movement . Seven themes were placed in this category&

11 . Women are against the "protective laws" which limit

women 's work .

12 . Women no longer believe they can give their time freely

to volunteer work .

27 . More legislation on all levels of government is

needed in addition to the Equal Rights Amendment.

Jl . Stereo typing is being challenged by the movement for

. women • s rights . ?6

35 · Women wish to be free of the "myths" which have denied them equality with men .

3? . Women want positive action to alleviate the effects of discrimination in the past .

43 . There is a need by working mothers for proper child care centers .

Category IV--This category is composed of themes which express ideas on the image of women . Three themes appear in this categoryi

20. Peopl� must start considering new roles and mental images of women if there is to be concern for ecology, population, and environment .

28. A woman 's image is distorted or absent in the mass media .

41 . Attitudes toward what women want, like , and need will be the hardest to alter .

Category V--This category is composed of the themes which express ideas on the inequality toward women . There are four themes which belong to this categoryi

7. Women are as guilty as men for women 's lack of contributions to the "recorded history of ideas ."

25. Women do not possess constitutional equality .

29. Women have no t had a vo ice in the discussions concern ing their equality with men . ??

45 . Women are a minority because their political, economic, and social strengths have not effectively been utilized .

Category VI--This category is composed. of themes which

express ideas on a woman and her reproductive organs . Three themes

have been placed in this categorys

JO . Women are denied control of their own bodies.

49 . Male doctors have given women the task of controlling conception by the advent of the birth control pill.

50 . Abortion should be a private matter between the patient and the physician.

Category VII--This category is composed of themes which

express ideas concerning lmw . Three themes appear to be in this

categorya

51 . NOW ' s value is in its diversity.

_52. NOW members must "dare to care ." (They must be brave enough to work for what they_ want. )

53. NOW members want the ideas of feminism to be given a cha.nee.

Category VII--This category is composed of themes which express ideas on the progress that women have made toward equality . The seven themes that have been placed in this category includes

1. Women 's emergence into "the public light of day" has been impressive in the past few generations.

2 . There are many and complex reasons for the change in the status of women. 78

8. A woman's life has undergone a dramatic change; there

:r-o re,, she can no longer just enjoy life .

10. Women now have more years when bearing and rearing children are not occupying their lives.

18. The evolution of women's rights creates both good and bad situati ns because with equality comes responsibility .

42 . Women are important and they are affected by some legislative issues.

47. The more progess women make the more they become aware of the use1essness of the inequality . Category IX--This category is composed of themes which express ideas on the social aspect. The four therues tha.·t, appear to belong to this category are these:

19 . A society run by a white maie minority is not acceptable. 21. The status of women would be brought to the attention of society hrough the Equal Rights Amendment.

J6 . The. final "socially acceptable prejudice" is dis- crimina tion because of sex . 48. Society is insensitive and contemptible toward women .

54. Democracy does not exist when a country is run by white males. Category X--This category consists of themes which do not belong to any other specified category, and therefore, possesses ?9

ideas separate and unique. These sixteen themes have been

inc luded in this category &

J. Women's clubs have been discovered as a progressive

force by emerging women .

4 . American women's organizations have become a topic of

internationa l study.

5. Foreign Aid is a new area with which women's groups

have become concerned.

6. Every individua l citizen is an import.ant force in the

United States.

9 . Differences between individua ls of opposite sex

exist more in people's minds than in fact.

13 . Women, since they were granted suffrage, have been

granted only token positions on nationa l committees by political

parties.

14 . Only when a woman had to become a wife to make a living

did sexism make sense.

16 . Passing a law is only part of the task towai:-d equality.

17 . The frustration of American women must be dealt with

calmly and with good sense.

22 . The women 's liberation movement is with us to .stay.

2J. It is not fair to utilize a language that denies

women existence as human beings.

24. "Sexual inequality" has always been the "basic human inequa lity." 80

26. Women would· be eligible for the draft if the Equal

Rights Amendment were passed.

J2. Both sexes possess the capacity for male and female traits .

40 . Compassion must be expressed for individuals who

have been stifled by experiences in their pa.st .

46. The new surge of feminism is a product of woman's "deteriorating condition" and "increasing spread of egalitarian ideas."

This development of categories indicates that while there

are only tw o recurrences of specific themes, some of the themes do express ideas which are of a similar nature within the women's liberation movement speeches.

Recurrence of Categories Between the Two Hovements An examination of the categories formed for the woman's suffrage movement and the women's liberation movement indicate that there were no obviously similar appropriate categories for classifying the rhetoric of the two movements. The woman's

suffrage movement and the women's liberation movement demonstrated little recurrence of specific themes and classes of themes . FOOTNOTES

1E11zabeth Cady Stanton, "First Woman 's Rights Convention ," in Great S eeches from Pericles to Kenne edited by William D. Boutwell New York: Scholastic Book Service , 1965) , p. 140. 2 �. 3 �. . p . 141 . 4 Ibid . , p . 142 5 ibid.. ' p. 143 . 6 susan B. Anthony, "For the Woman's Suffrage Amendment," in World's Greatest Speeches edited by Lewis Copeland, _(New York: Dover Publishers, 1958), p. 318. ? Susan B. Anthony, "For the Woman's Suffrage Amendment," U.S. Congress , Senate, Susan B. Antr�ny Speaking for the Amendment on Woman's Suffrage. 49th Cong . , 2d sess. , January 25, 1887, Congressional Record, p. 998. 8 Ibid. , p. 998. 9 Ibid. , p . 999. lO ibid . 11 Ibid . 12 Ibid . l J�. , p . 1000 . 14Ibid. 1 5r·Iary Putnam Jaco bi , "Woman 's Suffrage," in Wierner' s Readings and Recitations, Vol. 42 : Famous Modern Orations (New York: J. F. Wagner, 1915) , p . 17. 16 Ibid . l7 Ibid. , p . 18. 18 Ibid . , p. 19. 82

l 9Ibid .

0c 2 arrie Chapman Catt, nThe World Movement For Woman's Suffrage ," in Famous S eeches b Eminent American Statesmen, edited by Frederick C. Hicks , St. Paul : St . Paul West Publishing Company, 1927 ) , p . 368.

21Ibid. , p. 369 .

22Ibid .

23Ibid. , p. 370.

24Ibid. , P • 373 .

25Ibid. , p. 382.

6 2 Jeannette Rankin, "Woman ' s Suffrage and War," in World 's Best Orations edited by David Josiah Brewer, (Chicago s F. P . Kaiser Publishing Company, 1900), p. 37 .

27Ibid .

28Ibid. , p. 8 . 3

29Ibid. , P • 39.

JOMrs . Katie Lo u cheim, "The Citizen in a Changing World , " Vital s, November 15, 1963 , P• 9 . Speeche 3

31rbid.

P• 94 . 32�.,

JJibid. , P• 9 . 4

34Ibid., P• 95.

J5Ibid.

6 3 Ibid. , P• 96.

J?Ibid .

a Better W'or ld Tomorrow ," 38nz. . Lillian O'Connor , ''For Vital Speeches , January 15, 1968, P• 214.

39Ibid . 8 3

40Ibid. 1 4 Ibid. , p. 216 . 42 Miss Caroline Bird, "On Being Born Female," Vital Speeches, November 15 , 1968, p. 88.

43Ibid.

44Ibid .

5 4 Ibid. , p. 89 .

46Ibid .

7 4 Ibid. , p. 90 .

48Ibid.

9 4 Ibid • 0 .5 Louise B�shnell, "What's Happened to Eve?, " Vi t�l Speeches, October 1, 1970, p. 749 •

.5llbid •

.52Ibid. , p. 752 •

.5.3!bid •

.54Ibid •

.5.5Ibid • 6 .5 Arvonne S. Fraser, "Women," Vital Speeches, July 5 , 1971,· p • . .599

.57Ibid •

.5Bibid. , p. 600 .

59Ibid .

60 ibid . , p. 602 • 61 Ibid. , p. 603 .

6�ulma Scott Heide, "Feminism," Vital Speeches, April 15 , 1 , 40J . 972 p . 84

63Ibid. 64Ibid. 5 6 Ibid. , p. 404. 66Ibid . 67Ibid. 68:rbid. 9 6 Ibid. , p. 406 . O ? ibid. 71Ibid. 72 Ibid., -P· 407 . 73Ibid. ?l� • Ibid., p. l�OB .

75.sernice Sandler, "Women in Higher Education, " Vital Speeches, June 15 , 1973, p. 532 . 76Ibid. 77Ibid. 78Ibid. ?9 Ibid. , p. 533 . BOibid. 81 rbid. ' P• 534 . 82 Ibid., p . 535 . 8 3Ibid., p . 536 . 84Ibid. B5Ibid .

86Dr. Jacqueline St. John, "Women's Legislative Issues," Vital Speeches , June 15, 1972 , p. ,528. 85

B7Ibid. 88 Ibid . 8 9Ibid., p. 529 . 90ibid. l 9 ibid. 92Ibid. 93Ibid. 4 9 Ibid. , p , 530. 5 9 Ibid., p . 531. 96Ibid.

97Wilma Scott Heide, "Revolution ," Vital Speeches, May 1, 1973 . p. 424. 9Bibid. 99Ibid. lOOibid. lO libid . , p. 425 . lO Zibid . , p . 426 . CHAPTER IV

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Summary

The purpose of this study has been to determine the extent

to which rhetoric on behalf of women 's rights by women utilized

recurring themes within and between the woman's suffrage movement

and the women 's liberation movement.

A survey of appro pr iate publications was conducted to find

any pr evious studies similar to this research subject. Those

studies which ap:pe:u:-cd similar were analyzed further and found to

be different from this study. Thus the uniqueness of this study

was established . Chronological accounts of the woman 's suffrage

movement and the women 's liberation movement were compiled to

establish a des cription of each of the movements.

Representative women 's speeches from each movement were

select ed and analyzed to discover the themes utiliz ed . The

themes were then compared and categorized in an attempt to determine

instances of recurrence within and between the two movements.

Chronological Summary of Events

The Suffrage Mo vement

produ The woman 's suffrage movement was not the ct of a

related events whose single event. It was the result of several 87

beginnings are dated with the Seneca Falls , New York, Convention in

1848 . Although woman 's suffrage was not a prominent issue of the early woman'smo vement, it had gained significance by the advent of the Civil War .

Both the proposed Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments evoked action on the part of sympathizers for woman 's suffrage because their passage would make a constitutional amendment

.necessary to secure the vote for women . Both amendments passed despite efforts of the suppor�ers of woman 's suffrage .

A split took place in the woman 's suffrage movement in

1869 ; and two separate .organizations were formed, the AWSA and the NUSA . The se two organizations remained separate �"'l til 1890 when they merged to become the NAWSA.

Supporters of woman 's suffrage were working on both the state and national level to secure the vote for women . On the state level , pro gress began in the west with the admission of

Wyoming to the Union as the first suffrage state in 1890.

Colorado , Utah and Idaho became suffrage states soon after the admission of Wyoming . In 1910, Washington gave suffrage to women ; and by 1912 , California , Arizona, Oregon, and Kansas joined the suffrage ranks.

By 1917, when New York ado pted woman 's suffrage , more attention had been focused on the national level . In 1919, the suffrage amendment granting the vo te to women was passed by 88

Congress . The ratificat1on was achieved to implement the amendmen t

as pa.rt of the United State s Constitution .

The Liberation Movement

The contemporary women 's liberation movement began in the

early 1960 's, not as the product of a single event but as the

result of several interrelated events . In 1961, the Commission on

the Status of Women was formed by President Kennedy and two years

later its findings on the status of women were reported . In 1963 ,

the appearance of Betty Friedan 's book, The Feminine Mystique

influenced the Women's Liberation Movement . The formation of NOW

in 1966 seemed to provide a backbone for the movement. In 1969

President Nixon 's Task Force on Women 's Rights and Responsibilities

presented its recommendations , revealing tha� the status of women had remained basically the same since the 1963 report to President

Kennedy .

On August 10 , 1970 , the House of Representatives passed the

Equal Rights Amendment ; and on Harch 22 , 1972 , the Senate passed the same measure . Ratification of this amendment had not been completed as of the end of 1973 .

On January 22 , 1973 , the . United States Supreme Court ruled abortion legal in a 7 to 2 decision .

The women 's liberation movement is a relatively new and a growing movement. The adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment 89

and the legalization of abortion are just two of the measures for

whi ch the women 's liberation is working .

Summary of the Participants

The Suffrage Movement

Innumerable men and women participated in the development

and progression of the suffrage movement . Those that have been

mentioned in this study are only a few of the many who have

contributed to the movement .

The women mentioned below either contributed to the movement

through their positions of leadership or their rhetoric. The

women specific�lly used in this study llcr·e Lucrct"ic. Mctt ; Eliz�bcth ·

Cady Stanton , Susan B. Anthony , Lucy Stone Blackwell, Carrie

Chapman Catt , .Mary Putnam Jacobi, and Jeannette Rankin.

The Liberation Movement

The liberation movement is the product of countless

individuals and their efforts to secure equal rights for women .

Although this is a relatively young movement, several individuals

as prominent ; and some of these hav been used in this have emerged � _

study because of either their positi ons of leadership or their .

contribution to the rhetoric of the movement. The women speakers

specifically studied are Betty Friedan , Gloria Steinem , Katie

Loucheim , Dr. Lillian O'Connor , Caroline Bird , Louise Bushnell,

Arvonne s. Fraser , Wilma Scott Heide , Bernice Sandler, and Dr .

Jacqueline St . John . 90

Summary of the Rhetorical Themes

Nineteen specific assertive themes emerged in the rhetoric

of the woman 's suffrage movement . Of these nineteen , eight een were

found to be unique and nonrecurring.

Two refutational themes were discovered -in the rhetoric

of the woman 's suffrage movement .

The speeches analyzed from the women 's liberation movement

produced fifty-four assertive themes and no refutational themes.

Of the fifty-four specific assertive themes , fifty-two themes were

identified as un ique and nonrecurring.

No · indication of specific thematic recurrence was dis-

covered between the woman 's euffrage movement and the women 's

liberation movement .

Categories were then formed from the ideas expressed in themes within each movement in an attempt to further evaluate any recurrence of ideas . This categorization indi cated that some themes within each movement possessed ideas of similar nature ; however, there was still no indication of the recurrence of categories of ideas between the two movements .

Conclusions

1. The spe cific themes in the woman's suffrage movement represented many diverse and unique ideas .

2 . The specific themes in the women's liberation movement represented many unique and diverse ideas . 91

3 . Within the group of themes from the woman 's suffrage speeches there was little recurrence present. However, most themes could be grouped into a limited number of categories of broad based subjects.

4. Within the specific themes from the women's liberation

speeches there was little recurrence. The categorization of themes again indicated a number of themes dealing with similar

�ubjects .

5 . No recurrence of specific themes was noted between the woman's suffrage movement and the women's liberation movement.

6. The lack of recurrence of themes within the two

movements strongly indicates that the rhetoric was basically original to the selected speakers and had not originated from a common source.

7 . Judging from the wide variety of themes present in the woman's suffrage movement and the women 's liberation movement , there appears to be justification to assume that the women's liberation movement is not a continuat ion of the earlier woman 's movements. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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